Obedire

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Obedire

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Third Week of Advent

Matthew 21:28-29

Jesus said, “A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ The son said in reply, ‘I will not,” but afterwards he changed his mind and went …

“I cannot come! I cannot come to the banquet, don’t trouble me now, I have married a wife, I have bought me a cow! I have fields and commitments that cost a pretty sum, pray hold me excused … I cannot come!”

That is quite simply, in the words of a children’s song, the story of my life and many of our lives. In big ways and small ways, I replace the important with the urgent, and then wish I hadn’t.

Actually, the regrets are not reflected in the lyric. But we know they are nearby. Along about midnight or 2 in the morning, when all the urgency is drained out of my world, the regrets rise up. It’s then I wish I’d made Better Choices. And I might even resolve to live differently tomorrow.

But a wonderful and wise part of Jesus’ parable is that the first son actually changed more than just his mind. He changed his actions, and showed up at the vineyard. “OK, here I am. What shall I do?”

Once the son changed his actions and began to do what really mattered, obedience was easy. Earlier, trapped by the imagined urgency of his own agenda, he could not obey. Just as if he had on blinders, he could ONLY see his own point of view.

How does this change in me? One thing I know: when I show up for just one day at the vineyard (so to speak), I open myself up to God’s touch. And amazing things can come from that.

A sweet prayer from Psalm 119: I have chosen the way of truth, Lord, I have set my heart on your laws. I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free. Let me do this again tomorrow, Lord, and tomorrow, and tomorrow.

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