“The measurement of a spiritual life is not its ecstasies but its obedience.”

This was the sidebar statement in my Bible reading this morning.  I must agree with it.  Frank used to say, “It’s not how high you can jump, but what direction you go when your feet hit the ground that is important.”  One week into the new year and how obedient have I been?  I have spent the last few months really frustrated that I didn’t know many of my neighbors.  How can I have impact for Jesus when I don’t know the people I live around?  Finally, just before Christmas, I felt God saying “Do something to get to know them.”  So I put a date and time on my calendar, got invitations, went on line to find addresses and names and invited 15 households to come to my house for a time of “getting acquainted with our neighbors.”  I heard back from 8 of the households and actually had 8 of them come.  What a good time we had getting to know one another.

I am not always so quick to obey.  But when I do, God just gives me such peace and joy that makes the act of obedience wonderful.  You would think that I would learn to obey more quickly because of that, but I do tend to be stubborn and lazy so often.  I am so grateful Jesus loves me anyway.  I am praying to become much more obedient as the year progresses because I want to have a truly positive impact for Jesus in this painfully fallen world.