We don’t have to look far to see many men wasting their lives in ungodly pursuits. Perhaps this is nothing evil, but still an undisciplined life of chasing one fleeting desire after another. It’s tempting then to pride ourselves in our discipline and obedience, but feeling the need to kill the deep desires of our heart to do so. Both extremes miss the mark. We must learn how to remain obedient to the moral standards God has given us without losing our heart of passion along the way.
The prodigal son is known for his lack of restraint as he felt entitled to pursue whatever pleasures he wanted in the moment. On the other hand, the elder brother is known for his restraint – for being the responsible one and doing exactly what he was supposed to do. However, both sons were lost, as both missed the true blessing of being in their father’s house. One through his passion without obedience, and the other through his obedience without passion.
The response to wasteful living is not killing our hearts, but learning how to live courageously with our hearts intact while still submitting to God’s authority for our lives.
To be sure, it’s a sin to disregard God’s economy and pretend we can live any way we want without consequences. But what cannot be said of the prodigal son is that he was a coward. He was willing to take risks to pursue the desires of his heart. This cannot be said of the elder brother, who played it safe and hid his cowardice behind his rule keeping. His sin in part was in his unwillingness to risk pursuing his desires.
Obedience is needed, as we will not find true life on our own terms. And passion is also needed, as we cannot freely enjoy the fullness of life when we’re too afraid to name, honor, and cultivate the desires of our heart.
Where might your obedience be hiding your fear?
Photo by Terrillo Walls on Unsplash
