I AM CURLED UP IN A HEFTY BROWN LEATHER CHAIR. A GRANDE SOY PUMPKIN SPICE CHAI STANDS ON THE TABLE TO MY LEFT. I HAVE SPENT THE LAST HOUR HERE AT STARBUCKS SPENDING TIME IN THE WORD INSTEAD OF IN HARRY POTTER. IT TOOK SOME CONVINCING, BUT I EVENTUALLY REALIZED THAT HARRY AND THE GANG WOULD GRACIOUSLY WAIT TO FIND OUT WHO OPENED THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS UNTIL I CAME BACK TO THEM. SO HERE I AM, CREEPILY SMILING, AND LOVING JESUS. THE FIRST TWENTY MINUTES OR SO OF OUR TIME TOGETHER I WAS REALLY FEELING A CONVICTION UPON MYSELF. AND LET ME TELL YOU, CONVICTION: NOT REALLY A PLEASANT THING. I AM NOT, NEVER HAVE BEEN, A FAN OF SOMEONE TELLING ME I AM DOING SOMETHING WRONG. I AM ACTUALLY QUITE THE STUBBORN SELFISH CHILD. PRAISE JESUS, IMMEDIATELY AFTER CONVICTING ME OF THIS, HE SHOWED ME THAT I PERSONALLY WASNT SELFISH. THE ENEMY WAS TRYING TO CONVINCE ME OF THIS. THE ENEMY WAS SHOWCASING ITS UNGODLY SELF THROUGH MY BEING. BUT AS A BELIEVER, I AM INCAPABLE OF BEING SELFISH OR WRONGFULLY STUBBORN. SIN IS ACTUALLY A NOUN. NOT A VERB. AND THROUGH CHRIST, I AM DEAD TO SIN. I AM DEAD TO SELFISHNESS. WAHOO! REALIZING THIS, MAKES OBEDIENCE SO MUCH EASIER. AND AS ABSURD AS IT MAY SOUND, IT ACTUALLY MAKES IT JOYFUL. I WANT TO BE HAPPY TO GROW. I WANT TO BE HAPPY TO BE PUT TO THE TEST. GOD HEARD IN MY HEART A STIRRING FOR BEING OBEDIENT AND OH BOY DID HE PUT ME TO WORK RIGHT AWAY. HE GAVE ME A WORD FOR A MAN SITTING ACROSS FROM ME. IVE MET HIM A FEW TIMES THROUGH SOME FRIENDS, BUT REALLY DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT HIM AT ALL. FOR A GOOD FIFTEEN MINUTES I WAS SURE I WAS JUST GONNA IGNORE THE FACT THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO TALK TO HIM, AND COMPENSATE BY READING SOME MORE SCRIPTURE. NADA. CONVICTION ON OBEDIENCE STARTED TO FLOOD ME AND, AS PREVIOUSLY STATED, I AM NOT A FAN OF CONVICTION. SO I STOOD UP, INTRODUCED MYSELF, AND SAID, "THIS MAY SEEM STRANGE, BUT GOD GAVE ME A WORD FOR YOU. I SAW YOU IN A PLACE OF LEADERSHIP. AND YOU WERE STARING UP AT THIS HUGE SKY SCRAPER. EACH FLOOR REPRESENTED A LEVEL OF GROWTH AND UNDERSTANDING YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO REACH. THAT HAS BEEN REVEALED TO YOU. AND YOU ARE JUST STARING, EXCITED, BUT ALREADY EXHAUSTED AT THE THOUGHT OF HAVING TO CLIMB EACH LEVEL OF THIS GIANT BUILDING. BUT GOD IS TELLING YOU TO JUST TRUST AND WALK IN THE DOOR. SIT IN THE ELEVATOR, ALSO REPRESENTING HIS PRESENCE, AND TRUST THAT HE IS GOING TO CARRY YOU EFFORTLESSLY TO AND THROUGH EACH LEVEL. YOU JUST HAVE TO LAY BACK AND REST IN HIM." HE SMILED AND PROCEEDED TO TELL ME THAT HE JUST GOT A JOB, IN CANADA, THAT IS MUCH HIGHER LEVEL THAN HE WAS PREPARED FOR, AND THAT IT WAS EXCITING BUT SCARY. YAY! OBEDIENCE IS GOOD!
