For Christmas a number of years ago our boys received a CD entitled Classic Poems for Boys. They loved to listen to the poetry so it was no surprise when our son Josiah decided to choose a poem from that collection for a poetry recitation contest taking place at the Christian school he was attending that year.
Some poems were fun and silly, others serious and thought provoking. A silly poem would seem a logical choice for an eight-year-old boy; however, Josiah chose the poem “Casabianca” by Felicia Dorothea Hemans.
It’s based on the true story of twelve-year-old Giocante Casabianca, the son of the commander of the ship, The Orient, during the Battle of the Nile.
The opening lines of the poem read,
The boy stood on the burning deck
Whence all but he had fled …
The poem recounts the obedience and bravery of young Giocante as he stood on the burning deck of the ship seeking instruction from his father, unwilling to move without orders. The boy was unaware that his father had died during the battle and in the poet’s version of the account cried out three separate times to his father, asking what he should do.
Am I done?
May I go?
Must I stay?
His cries were met with silence. The flames overtook the ship, killing everyone on board.
When Josiah recited it, he concluded with these remarks. “In this story the boy is like Jesus because he was innocent, faithful, and was obedient to his father even unto death.”
Jesus was obedient unto death. As his followers we, too, are called to do the same. “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:8).
Am I Done?
Lord, have I done everything you’ve asked me to do?
In his book, The School of Obedience, Andrew Murray has many wonderful insights.
Always study God’s Word in the spirit of an
unreserved surrender to obey.
This wholehearted surrender to obedience in everything is the only true obedience. It is the only power that will avail to carry us through. I wish all Christians would understand that nothing less than this is what brings the soul gladness and strength!
As long as there is doubt about complete obedience, and with that a lurking sense of the possibility of failure, we lose the confidence that secures the victory. However, when we see that God is really asking full obedience, and we undertake to fully obey him, offering him nothing less than full obedience, we give ourselves up to the working of the divine power, by which the Holy Spirit can master our whole lives.
The thought of surrender is scary, but we must remember that surrender takes place a day at a time, an hour at a time, and a minute at a time.
Obedience is not optional. There aren’t two classes of Christians, those who seek to obey and those who play by their own rules. Jesus said, “If you love me, obey my commandments” (John 14:15 nlt). Obedience is both a sign of our love for Jesus as well as a test of true faith.
“And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments” (1 John 2:3 nlt).
May I Go?
Lord, should I stay, or should I go?
If I go, where should I go?
Obedience involves a surrender of my will for his.
Scripture gives us a wonderful example of faith proved by obedience. “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going” (Heb. 11:4).
“And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness” (Gen. 15:6).
It’s not always easy to determine the direction God would have us go. I found myself in that situation many years ago when I was trying to decide where to go as a missionary. I felt God had called me into missions but I didn’t know where. I consulted with Ken Fleming, the missions professor at Emmaus Bible College and he gave me this advice. God can’t steer a stationary vehicle. You need to get into gear. Step out in faith and then God can direct.
“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps” (Prov. 16:9).
Must I Stay?
Lord. Are you calling me to this?
Graham and Gladys Staines were Australian missionaries at the Mayurbhanj Leprosy Mission in India where they cared for the lepers. Their children, Esther (14), Phillip (11), and Timothy (7), could often be found playing with the children at the rehab center.
On January 22, 1999, Graham set out for his annual visit to the tiny village of Manoharpur to minister to the lepers. On this trip, his two sons accompanied him. Graham knew this to be a dangerous area where Christians had been attacked many times before, but it did not dissuade him. God had called him and he went.
It had been a hard day and they were tired, so not long after dark Graham and his two sons lay down to sleep in their station wagon. As they slept, a mob of about 50 people approached, armed with axes and tridents—three-pronged spears. With loud screams they attacked, slashing tires, and breaking windows before mercilessly beating and stabbing the three victims.
While the three lay unconscious in the vehicle, Dara Singh, the ringleader, piled straw under the vehicle and set it on fire. Graham could be seen through the broken window holding his two sons close. Once the fire had died down the bodies were discovered charred beyond recognition.
Gladys, the wife and mother of the victims, was asked if she would now leave India and the work with the lepers. She replied, “Never. My husband and our children have sacrificed their lives for this nation. India is my home. I am happy to be here. I hope to die here and be buried along with them.”
God had called the Staines to serve him among the lepers in India. In obedience they followed knowing full well the dangers of their decision. They were obedient to death.
In North America, most Christians are not in physical danger for their beliefs but there is still a cost. The cost for you and me may take the form of ridicule when we stand up for God’s truth in a world that believes lies.
The cost may be financial if we choose to act with honesty and integrity. Suffering is guaranteed. “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake” (Phil. 1:29).
If we are in step with the world then we are out of step with God.
Death to Self
Jesus said, “Whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27 niv). He didn’t say whoever does not carry their cross doesn’t make a very good disciple. In essence he said if you aren’t carrying your cross, you aren’t my disciple.
The cross is a symbol of death. During the time of Christ, the Romans forced convicted criminals to carry their own cross to the place of crucifixion. While bearing their cross the crowds hurled abuse at the convicts. Insults, shame, humiliation, and ultimately death were all expectations of those who bore a cross.
In the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” This is without exception.
Regardless of what happened yesterday, today is a new day, and God’s mercies are new every morning. Today I will surrender my life, take up my cross, die to self, and follow Jesus.
The world’s philosophy says live for self; God’s Word says die to self.
Obedient unto death is the call of all Christians.
