Posts Tagged ‘obedience’
Who’s the Boss?
We all have someone we listen to; someone we obey out of love and loyalty. It may be our spouse, our parents, or even the ‘boss’ at work. If we’re being honest there is one boss we obey, but it is not out of love. We obey the government out of fear. Fear does not…
Read MoreDo What He Tells You
Every Orthodox Christian is taught that obedience is a blessing. We are taught to be obedient first to God, then to the Church through our spiritual father. There are many stories of blessings that come from obedience, not the last of which is eternal life. In today’s readings I was reminded of obedience. Take a…
Read More2026 Daily Lenten Journey Day 16 – Even in Anger God Saves Us
We cannot deny that God has revealed His anger over the centuries. With those who disobey Him, like Adam and Eve and their descendants, He allows us to struggle against our enemies, while never giving up His promise to save us. For that, I am extremely thankful. Take a moment and read today’s readings with…
Read MoreIgnoring Authority
As ‘good Americans’ we love our independence. Freedom is the backbone of our society. We do what we want. We believe what we want. We say what we want. We condemn anyone who tries to limit us. This might be the ‘American way’ but it is not the Christian way. The elder to the beloved…
Read MoreA Different Kingdom
Many non-believers accuse the Church of wanting to control our lives. They believe our ‘rules and traditions’ are designed to keep us down in the world. It would be much easier if we just gave in to the world and ‘blended in’ more to those around us. Then we would succeed. This logic is lacking…
Read MoreMorning Prayers Part One
As Orthodox Christians we begin every day with prayer. Before anything else takes place, before we wash ourselves, before we feed our bodies, we feed our souls with prayer. Immediately upon waking, we approach our icons and pray. As I mentioned yesterday, the Trisagion Prayer begins every prayer session. The following prayers come immediately after…
Read MoreNo Such Thing as Self Authority
Throughout the ancient world, and still in some places today, some leaders declare themselves the authority. They go by all sorts of names. Kings and emperors are the ‘nice’ names. They are also knows as dictators. There is no such thing as ‘self-authority’ in the Church. At that time, as Jesus was teaching the people…
Read MoreThe Blessings from Obedience
We talk a great deal about obedience in the Orthodox Church. For many this is misinterpreted to be about control instead of blessings. In a secular world committed to self-made empires, the idea of being obedient is the furthest thing in our minds, but the most blessed option. BRETHREN, one does not take the honor…
Read MoreSelective Strictness
It is a known characteristic of Orthodox Christianity that we live with a certain strictness. Our way of life since the first days of the Church has been shaped by faithful leaders guiding faithful followers to a life in communion with Christ. Strictness has always been a part of that life. That sense of strictness…
Read MoreConverting Our Will
At the beginning of His public ministry Jesus challenged us to deny our will to follow Him The entire Christian journey rests in giving our will over to God’s will. We simply cannot follow Christ into heaven so long as we focus on our will over His. Being obedient to God saves us. Being obedient…
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