Unprovoked Desire

There are many lessons life gifts to us by way of age and experience. The journey of the believer, if we allow it, far surpasses the experience of the unbeliever in its ability to completely and utterly transform the life of the individual into something beyond mere mortality with her fleeting boasts. This pilgrimage is a mixed cup of crushing and suffering, illumination, and transcendence. The Creator’s commitment to His creation is one of perplexing beauty. He confidently sees in seed form the glory and perfection of His beloved’s maturity and spares not the rod of correction or the tending of His staff to work in us His desired end: perfection. Jesus reveals His ultimate intention for us in Matthew 5:48 when He says, “Therefore you shall be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

Perfection is intimidating in its sheer impossibility, yet Christ doesn’t shy away from His desire for us. It doesn’t merely refer to a life without mistake, but rather the finished product that only Christ could accomplish in us by His grace. Perfection here is the Greek work teleios, and is translated “brought to its end, finished; lacking nothing necessary to completeness.” It speaks of what we become when we surrender to the molding, marring, & shaping of the Potter. When all is complete, He will say over us, “It is finished.”

I find this recurring theme of being wrought to perfection in the minutest of details in daily life, to the deepest realms of my mind, will, and emotions. At times, it seeks to reveal my own selfish impatience, and at other times, challenges the very core of what I believe about my own relationship with God. To bring this into the sphere of personal vulnerability, I recently felt the Lord highlighting my concept of obedience to Him as expressed in life decisions. I had begun to feel fairly confident in my willingness and trust to obey at (seemingly) great cost. Then, an unexpected, pricking thought found its way into my heart: “Is there a better way?”

An idea came to me. An idea that was risky, sacrificial, and stretching to my natural man, my flesh. In thinking through this possibility and massive, life-altering change, I found myself saying to Micah, “Before we do anything impetuous, let’s pray over this idea and ask the Lord if this is what He wants us to do.” It sounded right, getting the Lord’s counsel about a major decision, and generally, that would be considered wisdom. However, once the words left my mouth, I felt my spirit wince. Ouch. Would I only be willing to do this, this stretching thing, if it came as a direct ask from God Himself?

Suddenly, I was moved to tears by this thought: What if my obedience didn’t have to be in response to a command or request from the Lord? What if I chose to do something for Him unprovoked, unasked, simply motivated by love? The thing about obedience is that it can be given without love, thought, or emotion. That doesn’t mean it is totally void of those elements, but they aren’t a requisite ingredient.

We find such a beautiful example in King David when he chooses to build a house for the Lord out of his own desire.

Surely I will not go into the chamber of my house, or go up to the comfort of my bed; I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, until I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob. Psalm 132: 3-5

David is the model, the model of what it looks like to be moved to action out of the overflow of the heart, out of love. He is the only one of whom God says is “a man after His own heart” (Ps. 13:14). God never asks David nor anyone to build Him a house. He is so moved at David’s desire and vow to do this that He establishes David’s house as the line through which His own Son will come to establish His kingdom on Earth (2 Sam. 7).

So, to answer the question, “Is there a better way?” Yes. This journey to perfection is a constant yielding over and over again to what Paul calls “a more excellent way”: love. And with every act of surrender we grow a shade closer to His image.

As we continue to grow and surrender to the process of being made perfect, there is supernatural grace to be stretched and give more of ourselves. I sense the Lord’s jealous, searching heart for a people who will move beyond willing obedience into desire-driven sacrificial living. A people who are motivated by love to perform unnecessary acts of devotion. A people with a heart like David, compelled to build Him a house, a place for His presence to dwell. As David says in Psalm 110:3, “Your people shall be volunteers in the day of Your power.” Let it be said of us, O Lord, that we are a people after Your own heart.