Standing the Norm on its Head

“Bare obedience can harden us to God more than disobedience can.” Now that statement by Mark Buchanan, author of Your God Is Too Safe, certainly turns the Christian norm on its head. He goes on to say, “If you doubt it, compare the older boy with the younger one in the parable of the prodigal; compare the Pharisees and religious rulers with the tax collectors and prostitutes in the stories of Jesus. Or just look at Jonah.”

I can see his point. How many among us are Christian atheists unawares? Saddled with the outward obedient forms of the Christian faith without having vitally, truly, honestly connected with God. That isn’t to say “bare obedience” doesn’t reap good citizens and hand out good consequences. It does. Or that obedience isn’t necessary. It is. But again from Buchannan, “Oh, God wants our obedience. But He wants something deeper than that.” What He wants is our affection, our heart, our undivided attention.

In reading this startling statement I was reminded of a similar head standing comment by John Piper in his book Brothers, We Are Not Professionals. Speaking to pastors he urges them, “We have all told our people to serve God. The Bible says ‘Serve the Lord with gladness.’ But now it may be time to tell them not to serve God.

There is a way to serve God that belittles and dishonors him…“What is God looking for in the world? Assistants? No. The gospel is not a help-wanted ad. It is a help-available ad. Nor is the call to Christian service a help wanted ad. God is not looking for people to work for Him but people who let Him work mightily in and through them.

“We will serve by believing His promise of fullest joy and walking by that faith. We will not serve by trying to put our power at His disposal for His good, but by doing what is necessary so that His power will be ever at our disposal for our good…The only right way to serve God is in a way that reserves for Him all the glory…Until the people understand this, brothers, tell them not to serve God.”