The title of Eugene Peterson’s book A Long Obedience in the Same Direction has its origins in a quote from the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Raised in a Christian family, Nietzsche turned to atheism and later surprisingly wrote, “The essential thing in heaven and earth is that there should be a long obedience in the same direction; there thereby results . . . in the long run, something which has made life worth living.”
We can see the illustration of this principle when Jesus’ public ministry was unveiled at His baptism (Matthew 3:13). The heavens opened up with a ringing endorsement from God the Father, who said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy” (Matthew 3:16-17). I can picture the crowd looking at Jesus in awe, wondering exactly who He was.
Very little is recorded of Jesus’ early years. Known as “the carpenter’s son” (Matthew 13:55), Jesus had a deep and enduring bond with His heavenly Father (John 10:30). I wonder if those years of His life are not captured in Scripture because they were simply a time of loving fellowship between Father and Son. But the moment the salvation plan begins to unfold, we receive more details from the writers of the Gospels. The daily details of Jesus’ secret time with God may not have seemed remarkable. That time produced fruit, however, that prepared Him for ministering and gave Him strength to lay down His life for us.
We’re all called to serve, sometimes publicly. Yet our public service will never have God’s intended impact if we don’t know Him in secret. While serving God in the mundane, the character of public service is developed. It is in the secret places of long obedience that we learn to delight Him.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Luke 14:1-14
More:
Read Mark 1:35 and Luke 5:16 for cues to the way Jesus maintained fellowship with God the Father.
Next:
Do you sometimes feel drained by serving God and others? What steps can you take for refreshment and renewal?
Gary Shultz on August 12, 2016 at 6:37 am
Hi Remi, for sure God looks for our obedience, I often revert to that old hymn “Trust and Obey”. Sometimes I have to boil life down to that simple statement that makes you pull hard on the oars of life. I personally believe if one always feels drained being or doing God’s work, something is wrong. What counts is what is found on the mind (heart) when we are by ourselves. Can God speak to us, He will, or have we blocked the path? That growth time is vital because we do need to have that “long obedience view” and we know by whom we that hope when the question is settled and sealed in the heart (mind). When in God’s presence I feel refreshed and renewed, as the verse says “every morning.” Thanks for stopping by this morning Remi.
remioyedele2015 on August 12, 2016 at 12:22 pm
Hi Gary,
I love that hymn; it seems so simple, doesn’t it? Trust and Obey – no frills, practical, straightforward. May God give us the grace to persevere in its application to our lives.
Be blessed,
Remi
street on August 12, 2016 at 2:19 pm
i believe you are correct that God will provide the strength enthusiasm and wisdom to do His will and work. it can not be sustained by our own strength. the verse to live and work according to the faith God has given you comes to mind.
Deuteronomy 16:17
Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the Lord your God has blessed you.
alexaoj on August 12, 2016 at 8:08 am
We have to be true to who we say we are. Nothing is wasted on a child of God, especially time. Everything belongs to God, even the seasons of our lives according to Ecclesiastes chap. 3:1-8. I remember working at a particular job doing the same repeated duties, and I questioned the purpose of it all, and later I realized it was for my good. When promotion time came my supervised knew I was qualified and ready to go to another level. So we better not despised the days of small and seemly insignificant things. God always have a plan for His children, no matter how mundane our lives may appear to us or others. Place Him first, always talking, worshipping Him in Spirit and in Truth and He’ll always come through. Psalms 37:4. Thanks Sister Remi. Stay bless saints of God.
remioyedele2015 on August 12, 2016 at 12:24 pm
Hi Alexa,
Thanks so much for that example; I think we can all relate to being frustrated by repetitive duties! Yet the truth is that what you did in secret was seen by your boss and used as the basis for a promotion – just the same way with God. I pray we remember this the next time we begin to feel impatient with what’s in front of us in the moment.
Be blessed,
Remi
gagirllive on August 12, 2016 at 9:05 am
Hi, Remi! There’s a great book that I read years ago that really impacted me on this subject. It’s called Ordering Your Private World by Gordon MacDonald. I have revisited that book many times over the years. The premise of the book is that if we are to have any public effectiveness we must have private devotion. It’s the abiding principle. Jesus clearly told His disciples that fruit will only be produced in our lives when we abide in Him. We have to keep our spiritual tanks full, and for the most part, that takes place in our private life where no one else is watching. Abiding in Him produces fruit, and that fruit is often nurtured to maturity in the seemingly mundane and obscure settings of life. These settings are often days of preparation. Jesus built furniture before He carried the cross. David kept sheep before he became a king. In both cases, their communion with the Father in the interim period was where they were being prepared for their appointed destinies. All the days of our lives—no matter how mundane— are holy to the Lord. He is always making us ready for His Kingdom purposes. Thanks for blessing us with this encouragement today, Remi. You inspire me. A blessed weekend to all.
godlove on August 12, 2016 at 10:00 am
Amen, gagirl. I imagine that during all that time David spent alone as he kept the sheep, he must have been meditating and getting strength from God, preparing him for all what he was going to be confronted with later as he grew up, starting from the man-to-man face up with a certain giant Philistine and everything else he faced. A lesson never to undervalue any time we can spend in the Lord’s presence.
remioyedele2015 on August 12, 2016 at 12:27 pm
Hi Gagirl,
That’s a wonderful way to put it! ‘If we are to have any public effectiveness, we must have private devotion.’ I think it would work well as a sticker to remind us not to rush out and ‘do,’ but rather to dig in and rest in God’s presence so that we will receive the strength needed for His call on our lives.
Be blessed dear sister,
Remi
godlove on August 12, 2016 at 9:48 am
I take very much at heart Jesus’ teachings about pleasing God by being discrete when performing good acts, as recorded in Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18. What always stands out for me is the repeated phrase: “And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” From my personal walk in the faith, I can totally relate with the last line of this devotional, “It is in the secret places of long obedience that we learn to delight Him.” I learnt about Jesus and what He did to save me when I attended Sunday school as a kid but I can’t quite say I knew Him, I just knew about Him. I only developed a special relationship with God when I started reading the Bible on my own, through my personal meditations and the time I spent worshipping Him in private, as well as through personal fasting and prayers. Also, I believe that we best hear God’s voice speaking to us when we spend time alone with Him. Thank you for this devotional, Remi. Blessed weekend to all.
remioyedele2015 on August 12, 2016 at 12:30 pm
Hello godlove,
Thank you so much for the reminder that we cannot rely on church attendance alone to help us grow deep roots in our walk with God. That truly happens when we’re one on one with Him, learning to hear His voice and words to us as we meet in the secret, quiet place.
Be blessed,
Remi
crossman61 on August 12, 2016 at 11:23 am
Thank you Remi for this Devotional this morning . I agree with all of you we need alone time with Our Father in Heaven . Just as Jesus Himself did too . Hebrews 5:7 ( NIV ) During the days of Jesus life on earth , He offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the One who could Save Him from death , and He was heard because of His reverent submission. This verse really stands out to me . Jesus Himself had to be Saved also . He showed us the Way to be Saved through Faith by Grace . Have a good day to all of ODJ and in the forum . Gary
gagirllive on August 12, 2016 at 11:49 am
Hmm…not sure what you mean by “Jesus Himself had to be Saved also”, crossman61. Certainly He did not need saving in the context of our need for salvation. He is the holy, spotless Lamb of God who came to die for our sins. For this reason He was sent into the world. I think the context of the verse in Hebrews refers to His agony in Gethsemane and His subsequent death on the cross. He prayed to the One who would deliver (save) Him out of the clutches of death by resurrecting Him. He was saved from the power of the devil who held the keys of death. O death, where is your sting? Praise God!
remioyedele2015 on August 12, 2016 at 12:30 pm
Halleluyah, Amen – Praise God for His indescribable gift of life!! 🙂
crossman61 on August 12, 2016 at 1:17 pm
Yes you said it gagirlive He was saved from the power of the devil , The Father left Him while He was on the cross. He was about to Become Sin . The Father is Holy , sin can’t remain in His presence, even if it were His only begotten Son , that was becoming sin , He had to leave Him . It was His Faith that the Father would Save Him . That He was Saved through Grace. There is a deep meaning why He asked the Father , why have you forsaken me . Some thoughts to ponder , and maybe look into !?