A Long Obedience

It's been a long time in coming, but I'm finally sitting down to write my thoughts on the wonderful biography I read on Dietrich Bonhoeffer. If you want to be challenged in your thinking, in your ideas about how to live out your faith in God, and about how we're called to love and serve each other, then this is the book for you. It's a fascinating read about a man so wholly committed to his Savior that nothing could cause him to waver in his stand for Truth. I don't even know how to begin to properly review a book of this size (it's over 500 pages long) and depth (it covers not only Bonhoeffer's life, but many other relevant facets and information about life inside of Germany before and during WWII). Instead of trying to fit my thoughts into a mold that I can't even picture the shape of, I want to simply share my thoughts and the themes that stood out to me and fit in with other thoughts I've been thinking lately.

Possibly the biggest theme that stood out to me was Bonhoeffer's obedience. It reminded me of a quote by Frederich Nietzsche that I first heard last year when I was preparing to work for Summit Ministries' two-week summer conference in TN. He wrote, "The essential thing 'in heaven and earth' is...that there should be a long obedience in the same direction; there thereby results, and has always resulted in the long run, something which has made life worth living." Though not his intent, I think he was hitting on a very true principle that is taught in Scripture -- Christians often teach it as virtue, or steadfastness, or endurance. It's the idea that in order to live a meaningful life (and a life of true discipleship), one must be grounded in truth and remain committed to what is right and good and true. The life that flows from that journey toward and in truth is a good and virtuous life -- lived for the glory of God. And time after time as I read about Bonhoeffer's life, I was struck by his obedience -- especially in the face of tremendous opposition and personal loss.

In an essay he wrote regarding his involvement in the plots to stop Hitler and his reasons for believing it to be the right thing to do, he wrote: "Who stands fast? Only the man whose final standard is not his reason, his principles, his conscience, his freedom, or his virtue, but who is ready to sacrifice all this when he is called to obedient and responsible action in faith and in exclusive allegiance to God -- the responsible man, who tries to make his whole life an answer to the question and call of God."

Those were challenging words -- do I try to make my "whole life an answer to the question and call of God?" Am I fully committed to that "long obedience" in the right direction in my life, and is that commitment driven and fueled by my love for Christ? The story of Bonhoeffer's faithfulness was inspiring and challenged me in this area. Time and again he refused the easy road and opted to fully follow God, even though it would ultimately cost him his life. When he could have followed along with the liberal theologians in Germany at that time, he chose to take a stand and helped start the Confessing Church. He trained young theologians and pastors to intentionally live their lives modeled after the Sermon on the Mount and in complete and total obedience to God. He could have escaped to America until the end of the war, but instead took his place with the true church in Germany; he faced the conflict with the people of God knowing that the outcome may not be good for him. He made these and many other hard decisions because of his obedience to and love for God.

And so I ask myself questions like, "Who or what has my affections?" "What little decisions am I making today that will help me make more significant decisions later on?" "Am I on the path of obedience to my Lord or pursuing my own interests?" (And that last question doesn't have to pose mutually exclusive alternatives -- as long as I pursue the interests God has given me for His glory and in His timing.) "Do I take my Lord's commands seriously or am I a 'forgetful hearer' of his words?"

And on and on the questions go, joining the chorus of questions along those lines that I ask during my Bible study with friends on the book of James, or the questions I ask after a thought-provoking sermon or Sunday school lesson. The life of obedience is a life of discipline and dedication to my God, and ultimately the only life that offers joy. If you want to be challenged in your faith, your thinking, and your mindset of daily living, read this book. You will not regret it; you'll be encouraged by the faithfulness of one man who was willing to give his life for the cause of Christ, of Truth, of what is noble and right and good. And the life that influenced so many people of his time will influence yours as well.