What a contrast to another funeral I attended this same month. At that gathering a handful of people remembered a person who lived life on his own terms. Jim (not his real name) was described as a ‘self-made man.’ His only legacy was a small business that consumed him until his passing. He had no time for God, no desire for self-sacrifice, little that made his life memorable beyond the wealth he had accumulated for his family. It was a truly sad occasion.
It all comes down to what and/or who we love.
- Do I love God and therefore let the things of the Spirit guide me?
- Or, am I focused on now, gaining all my hands can hold?
Jesus said it is the most basic choice and from that choice our life takes its direction. “You can’t worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you’ll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other. You can’t worship God and Money both. “If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body." (Matthew 6:24-25, The Message)
If we "love the Lord God with all (our) passion and prayer and intelligence and energy," (Mark 12:30, The Message) our whole life will be changed, radically re-oriented from Self to Spirit, from scrambling to own to generously sharing, from dread of death to anticipation of life, from fear to faith! There is a persistent lie that loving God will limit life, that such a life means being locked into a constricting set of religious rules. How sad. In Him, we find liberation from the things that make us small people!
Just for today, I challenge you to ask yourself just one question throughout the day:
At this moment, am I facing towards God, the Spirit, guided by love?
It sounds much more simple than it is in practice. You’ll find yourself more courteous on the road, less inclined to speak poorly of another, unwilling to take advantage of someone, generous, kind, and hopeful. Life is lived one day at time. So, if the love of God guides you today, then tomorrow, and then the day after that – you will find this prayer bearing abundant fruit for God’s glory.
Here’s my prayer today, for you and for myself:
"I keep asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.
I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—His holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.
I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms."
(Ephesians 1:17-20, NLT)
______________
Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days;
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet, and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
Take my voice, and let me sing
Always and only for my King.
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose.
Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.
Ever, only, all for Thee.
Take My Life And Let It Be Consecrated
Havergal, Frances R. / Cox, Joe / Lindh, Jody W.
Public Domain
No comments:
Post a Comment