A true show of commitment

This past weekend I had the privilege of being part of the Ordination service for all new Ministers in the MCSA. This service marks the end of a long journey of preparation for each one of them, some being close on 9 years in the making. While the Ordination service is not the culmination of their ministry, it is a real affirmation of their gifts and calling. 

What struck me again was the level of commitment it has taken for these men and women to get to that moment. They have had to go through ups and downs, trials and triumphs, tears and laughter. So, the inevitable question arises:

Are we prepared to commit to Jesus Christ and to gear up for the long haul? What prevents us from staying the course?

"His (God) love is not a passing fancy or superficial emotion; it is a profound and unshakable commitment that seeks what is best for us." - Billy Graham 

George Barna wrote on the present state of the American church: "we are willing to expend some energy in religious activities such as attending church and reading the Bible, and they are willing to throw some money in the offering basket, but when it comes time to truly establishing their priorities and making a tangible commitment to knowing and loving God, most people stop short."

Living in Grace

D3LM3

I Will

 

Although today's scripture passage seems to be very violent, it struck me that when God promises something He always follows through with his promise. As you read through these verses, notice the "I WILL" parts:

“In that day,” declares the Lord,

“I will destroy your horses from among you
    and demolish your chariots.
¹¹ I will destroy the cities of your land
    and tear down all your strongholds.
¹² I will destroy your witchcraft
    and you will no longer cast spells.
¹³ I will destroy your idols
    and your sacred stones from among you;
you will no longer bow down
    to the work of your hands.
¹⁴ I will uproot from among you your Asherah poles
    when I demolish your cities.
¹⁵ I will take vengeance in anger and wrath
    on the nations that have not obeyed me.” - Micah 5:10-15

As we continue to bask in the glory of the birth of Jesus, remember these words from Matthew's gospel.

"She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” - Matthew 1:21

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Where you go, I will go

"But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God." - Ruth 1:16

There is so much depth in this promise from Ruth. It speaks of her commitment to her mother-in-law Naomi; it speaks of a love for her new family and the community she had come to love and embrace and it also challenges us on our commitment to the Lord - will we go where God leads us?

Are you able to say these words with faith today:
"Lord, where you go, I will go!"

In his song, I will follow, Chris Tomlin adds weight to this promise when he writes in the verse:

"All your ways are good
All your ways are sure
I will trust in you alone
Higher than my sight, 
High above my life
I will trust in you alone." 

We can commit to follow God, when we know that he is good and faithful - this means that whatever the future holds, God will be with us and he won't lead us into pathways that are harmful for us.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Being a life-long learner

“A disciple is an apprentice of Jesus” - Dallas Willard

When Jesus called the 'disciples' to come and follow him, they were not yet disciples. They were ordinary citizens of a different kingdom.  They probably had a longing in their heart for something more - for something deeper, but they may have thought they were not good enough to follow a Rabbi. However, in the moment when Jesus turned tradition on it's head and called them to be his disciples, the 12 agreed to become life-long apprentices of God. 

Our decision to believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour is the first part of this journey and, dare I say it, the easiest part. What follows after this, is a commitment to intentionally walk the 'Jesus Way'  day after day. 

So, how are things going for you as a disciple? What have you learnt today about following the Son of God?

Living in Grace

D3LM3 

·   Matthew 4:19 - “Come, be my disciples, and I will show you how to fish for people!” (NLT)

 

Commit yourself to what?

 

Should I commit to this project or this great cause?
Should I put my energy and efforts into helping the needy or speaking to people about the Bible?
Should I commit myself to my family, to the church, to my chosen sport?
What should I commit myself too? There is so little time and so many good choices.

Ian Thomas, in his book The Saving Life of Christ gives us a little insight into the question.

"You are not called upon to commit yourself to a need, or to a task, or to a field; you are called upon to commit yourself to God!"

So the answer lies in the first step, and then the others flow from that one decision. If I choose to commit yourself first to God, then my priorities, desires, gifts and other tasks will flow from this first commitment. Does that make sense?

Matthew 6:33 - But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Don't hold anything back!

“So Samuel told Eli everything; he didn’t hold anything back!” - 1 Samuel 3:18

Perhaps the context of Samuel's conversation with Eli is a little different from our own circumstances at the moment, but I like the last 5 words from this verse ...

... He didn't hold anything back!

It challenges me to ask the question: "Am I holding anything back from God at the moment?" 

Or maybe in other areas of our lives - "Am I holding back in my relationships or in my work?"

WHY?

Is it because I am afraid? Or tired? Or lazy?

  

"Love God; love others; do your best in all you do, even if you fall short!" - Bethany Hamilton

Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/do_your_best

Prayer: Lord, please teach me to give my all to you and those around me. 

Living in Grace

D3LM3

 

What a Commitment!

“Shut out every other consideration and keep yourself before God for this one thing only—My Utmost for His Highest. I am determined to be absolutely and entirely for Him and for Him alone.” - Oswald Chambers

These words show us the commitment of  a person who was ready to serve his Lord wherever God called him. If you like, this was Oswald's covenant promise to Jesus - I will do my Utmost for God's Highest! He died at just 43 years of age (in 1917), when an emergency appendectomy never healed.

The dedication of this man should challenge us to ask: "Am I doing all I can to serve Jesus? Wherever God places me, am I using all my gifts to bring out the HIGHEST for our God?"

Worth thinking about...

Romans 8:9-10 (MSG) - But if God himself has taken up residence in your life, you can hardly be thinking more of yourself than of him. Anyone, of course, who has not welcomed this invisible but clearly present God, the Spirit of Christ, won’t know what we’re talking about. But for you who welcome him, in whom he dwells—even though you still experience all the limitations of sin—you yourself experience life on God’s terms. It stands to reason, doesn’t it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he’ll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself?

Living in Grace
D3LM3

We are ...

Ever wondered why some people are just better at certain things than we are? It may even seem unfair at times, but if you look at the quote from Aristotle you will see that he reckons it has to do with habitual discipline. Obviously, if someone is a good sportsman or an actress, they have a large amount of god-given talent, but most of these people spend hours, months and years honing their skills.

"We are what we repeatedly do, excellence then is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle

If we take the premise of this thought, it could imply that we can become better Biblical scholars, prayer warriors, youth leaders, worship leaders, musicians, and disciples of Christ, if we habitually spent more time on these areas. I am not sure how you feel about this, but on some levels it makes complete sense to me.

As an example, the only way I will ever understand more about the Bible is if I am committed to reading it, studying it and learning from others. This takes a deliberate discipline and an act that I am willing to following through with.

What is God asking me to spend more time refining, so that I can be 'excellent' for his Kingdom?

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Ruth - true faithfulness

If ever there was an example of true FAITHFULNESS then it must be Ruth. Given the opportunity to leave her troubled life and start over, she pledges to go with her grieving mother-in-law to Bethlehem. These are the loyal words spoken to Naomi when Ruth commited to be with her.

"But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. ¹⁷ Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” - Ruth 1:16-17

"... not even death itself is going to come between us!” - The Message

Faithfulness is a rare trait. If you know someone who has been very committed and faithful to you, then you have found a rare gem. Appreciate their faithfulness and honour them today. 

Thought: Who/what is God asking you to be faithful to? May Ruth's example give you inspiration today.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Don't drag your feet

There are so many people who want to leave a mark on this world or who want to make a difference in their community, but they keep procrastinating. They have lofty ideals, but never put them into practise. We should all remember that time is short and we should begin to make changes one step at a time. 

If we drag our feet and wait for another day, we may not get another chance.

“If you want to leave your footprints on the sands of time, do not drag your feet.” – Dr Abdul Kalam

James 4:14 - How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.

Living in Grace

D3LM3