All to Jesus — 100%

 
The last few months, when time permits and inclination hits, I’m decluttering or purging areas of our home and lifestyle. When first starting this, I had practical motivations. For instance, all our family photos were in a jumble of albums or in boxes. They are now sorted in containers labeled with the name of who will want them. This saves my children a mountain of work when I’m gone.

Not only that, it makes me feel pounds lighter and deeply joyful. Just cleaning out the kitchen refrigerator has the same effect. So also does the Christian discipline of keeping short accounts with God.

To put this another way, I’m considering what is true about the Christian experience that has no comparison in any other realm — just this: When I yield/give up/purge all my rights and wants, then I feel lighter/am joyful. In other words, when I lose, I win.

This means than an entire surrender to the Lord and perfect trust in Him results in victory over sin and inward rest of soul — characterized by releasing our burdens to the Lord and letting him manage our lives instead of trying to do it ourselves. This is like purging the house; it gives the same sense of lightness and joy, only much deeper.

Many Christians do not realize that our biggest burden is just that — me, my way, and trying to do it myself. What headaches come because I try to solve all my problems, reach all my goals, do everything and anything in my own strength. In laying off my burdens, the first one the Lord wants me to get rid of is that old nature, that self with all its temptations, temperament, all circumstances, contrary feelings, and all my inward and outward experiences that focus on what I want or try to do. When these are yielded into the care of God, and left there, I experience the same freedom and release as decluttering a messy cupboard.

I once told a younger Christian that I prayed for parking places in crowded areas. He mocked me saying that God give me brains and I could find a place to park without bothering Him with trivia. This fellow didn’t understand that the freedom of trusting the Lord in little things makes it much easier to put faith in Him for all things.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. (Proverbs 3:5–8)

In years of reading Scripture, I’ve noted the importance of the word ALL. It is used two times in these verses and tells me that praying for a parking place is included in what I should trust the Lord for. He sometimes whispers things like “turn left here” when my old nature could not see the empty spot that would open up right where I needed it and just when I turned. He knows what I don’t know.

Most of us think we know how to do things, particularly the habitual. Who prays about what to cook for supper or for energy to wash dishes when they have done it for more than sixty years? Read again that instruction from God. It says “in ALL my ways” — meaning everything I do. For me, it is not practice that makes perfect but learning to ask and acknowledge God before doing anything. I’m not there 100% but have learned enough that this is the way to have refreshed bones!

PRAY: Jesus, the answers to prayer this week have both astonished and humbled me. I’ve prayed for a changed attitude in someone whose phone calls I dreaded, and am now being blessed by the those calls. I’ve prayed for a cult member who now honors Christ and shocks me with the differences that are obvious in his words and actions. I’ve asked You to lift the discouragement in a teen and bless him; he is now joyful AND being baptized this Sunday. Prayer goes up daily for our big family reunion plan and the family is helping and being blessed in renewed relationships months before the event will happen, an event that was Your idea in the first place. Forgive my resistance to the role You handed me for this huge event. You did say all my heart and all my ways. Again, I’m a slow learner, yet You are quick to bless, relentless in Your quest to change me and wrestle with me until ALL truly is given into Your care. Wow, You are a wonderful God!

What am I relying on?

Our adult children have pets that are their “babies” and much loved. They also have collections of things they enjoy. Maybe more than thirty relocations is the reason I don’t have pets or collections, but that is not quite true. As a quilter, I ‘collect’ fabric (called a stash) and am also an ‘information gatherer’ to the point that my PC hard drive is loaded with pictures and documents. To simplify my life, I’m realizing the difficulty of purging my ‘collection’ of files. The fabric is easy as I can make more quilts, but the information is not as easy to sacrifice.

Abraham had a tougher time of it. His faith was strong in God’s promises. However, all of them involved his son Isaac. Even though “he believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6) God tested him by asking him to sacrifice his son.

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” (Genesis 22:1–2)

That was a far greater challenge than giving away a mug collection, or purging familiar and often beloved files, or saying goodbye to pets. What did this man of faith do?

So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. (Genesis 22:3–8)

The NT describes it this way:

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. (Hebrews 11:17–19)

We know the sad stories of hoarders. One keeps empty boxes, and his house is filled. He says someone might need them someday. Another keeps everything because she loves her stuff. I keep my ‘info’ because I might need it someday? But why then bother with Google? MacArthur says that a willingness to sacrifice precious things is proof of genuine faith. If I needed something, would not God provide it?

Abraham passed the test: he was willing to make the sacrifice. He did as Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)

God asks for far more than collections, far more than even our sons and daughters. He says:

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (Romans 12:1)

He wants my life, not just my stuff but all that I rely on. When need to know something or find direction; God does not even need Google to supply it. While I may need to keep my family’s favorite recipes because I tend to forget, I don’t need every recipe ever written because God answers prayer for even that need — when it arises. I could write this proverb like this:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your collection of information, but In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will supply whatever you need. (Proverbs 3:5–6)

PRAY: Jesus, this is another answer to prayer. My faith should not be in my ability to find information and file it, but trusting You to give me what I need when it is needed. This may seem an insignificant sacrifice to others, but for me, it is as challenging as if You told me to put all my books in a bonfire. I want to simplify my life and plainly You are in agreement with that.

PONDER: Deuteronomy 28 lists the blessings of trusting God. Read it again and realize I do not need anything or anyone else to rely on when needs pop up. God is enough.

 

 

 

The lesson of humility

 

READ 2 Samuel 6–10

Looking back, I realize how many things I tried to do without consulting God. Most of them seemed good, but without the desired results. It’s taken years to realize the uselessness of self-effort and the importance of consulting the Lord about everything.

When David began his rule, he determined to bring the Ark of God to Jerusalem. On the way, God taught a lesson that made David fear Him:

And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God. (2 Samuel 6:6–7)

This incident does seem unfair to Uzzah who only wanted to protect this sacred ark, but it illustrates lack of trust in God to keep the ark safe. Uzzah thought he had to do something and did it without seeking God’s guidance. This was costly to him but instruction for David. Do not move unless told to do so!

Later, David did some literal moving. He danced before the Lord with rejoicing, wearing only a plain linen garment. His wife severely criticized him but he said, “It was before the Lord, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the Lord—and I will celebrate before the Lord. I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor.” (6:21–22)

David learned that worshiping God means abandoning all thoughts of ‘what will people think’ or what might be considered ‘appropriate’ to onlookers. I’m still learning that one!

When David thought he should build a house for the Lord, a place of worship, God told Nathan the prophet to instruct him otherwise, including reminders of what God had already done in his life. He also said, “Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house . . . .” and went on to describe the kingdom to follow with a house built for Him by David’s son, and “your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.” (7:8–16)

David learned the lesson: what he could do didn’t count if it was not the will of God. David said, “Therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. And now, O Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, O Lord God, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever.” (7:27–29)

After that, “The Lord gave victory to David wherever he went . . . and David made a name for himself . . . and the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.” He reigned over all Israel and administered justice and equity to all his people. (8:6–15)

By ‘all’ this included the one person left of the house of Saul. David showed this cripple man kindness for Jonathan’s sake by restoring to him the land of Saul and bringing him to eat at the king’s table for the rest of his life. (9:1–13) Other kings destroyed all threats to their throne, but not David. He believed God’s promises. He also illustrated the unconditional love of God and that God is not a respecter of persons.

David was a good example to those who served in his army. When Joab want to battle, he outlined the battle plan and then he said to the people, “Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.” (10:12)

When I ask God for His help, I realize that He can do great things, but also realize that He may not help me, that my problem could be there to teach me something, or to give me opportunity to rejoice in affliction, or to glorify Him even if I continue to suffer. In other words, I’m not to take matters into my own hands. This is the lesson of Uzzah, and David, and Joab.