“Why are you crying?” I just sent off my beloved to the NYSC, that battle ground, and the parting hurts. “You should not cry. Are you not convinced it is God’s will?” Leave me, let me express my emotions. You do not understand. “Yes I don’t. When you obey God it should be with all your heart. He did what the LORD considered right, but he did not do it wholeheartedly 2Ch 25:2(GW).” Why have you decided that I do not have a perfect heart? Because of my tears? “Yes of course obedience that is real, that pleases God is a delight, a joy. Then I said, "Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me: I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart." Psa 40:7, 8(ESV). We were taught obedience that is acceptable is knowing the will of God and then doing it with the heart with joy. If you know it is the wish of God you should be rejoicing not mourning, singing and not weeping.”
I agree true obedience is with joy, but tears do not necessarily mean reluctance to obey God. You know, sometimes obedience comes first and joy comes in the morning. Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him Psa 126:5, 6(ESV). Our emotions being expressed do not necessarily mean we are less than wholehearted in our obedience. “I don’t understand.” Do you remember when your daughter was to marry, how you felt? “Oh, I still feel it.” Were you smiling then? “No, I cried.” You see! Yet I know we had prayed for her marriage and would you say you did not give her away with your heart? “Hmm!” So why did you cry then? “Just the thought of my baby now going away; it hit me hard but you know I never let anyone see me cry. You just happened to be around; why are you reminding me?” I am coming yet.
Did Jesus fully obey the Father? “Yes he was the pattern of wholehearted obedience.” Correct yet have you read: In the days of his flesh, he offered up prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his devotion to God. Son though he was, he learned obedience through his sufferings Heb 5:7, 8(ISV). Obedience is deliberate submission, even with tears.
“So Jesus did not always obey with joy?” He did, beloved, he did. The presence of tears is not the absence of joy. It is joy, not happiness. I have joy in my heart my beloved has reached the stage of NYSC, but pain in parting company.
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