There is a tiny little word in the Bible that I think is my favorite. It occurs most notably in the Psalms, as David cries out to his Lord, or in Job. They pour out their troubles, baring their broken hearts, and then almost always follow with a single word: Yet.
"Yet You are enthroned as the Holy One..." "Yet will I praise Him..." "Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him..." "Yet in my flesh I will see God..." "Yet You heard my cry for mercy..." "Yet for Your sake we face death all day long..." "Yet I am always with You; You hold me by my right hand."
There are two different ways in which this word appears. One demonstrates man's faithfulness to God ("Though He slay me, yet..."). The other displays God's faithfulness to man ("Yet You are...").
Too often, my "yet" turns into a "but." "I know You want this, God, but..." "I know what You're calling me to do, God, but..." My answer should, instead, be, "My heart desires something else, yet I will obey." "I am afraid, yet I will follow." The conjunctions mean essentially the same thing; yet there's something so defiant about the word "yet." It refuses to give into circumstances. It refuses to complain. It declares, "Nevertheless." It cries, "In spite of all that surrounds me." It defies circumstances.
In my Senior Thesis, I wrote, "Jesus describes a wholehearted love for the Lord. This love is not a partial commitment or a mere pastime; it requires 'all.' An individual who loves God in this way is not coolly affectionate. He is enthralled by his Lord, and this love affects every single part of his life." Jesus does not always ask for the things that are easy to give. He asks for the things that require more than being "coolly affectionate." He probably wouldn't ask me for my baking skills, seeing that I bake about once a year and am really quite bad at it.
But He will ask for the things -- the people -- that I care most deeply about. He will ask me to surrender things that have changed me, things that have the strongest hold on my heart, things that have shaped who I am. And once He has them, I have a choice. I can sit in rebellion. I can be angry at Him for asking for those things.
Or I can say, "Yet..." Despite all that He has taken, He will give even more: More of Himself. More of the only thing I will ever need.
And when I feel like my world is spinning out of control... When I feel like my heart cannot take any more... When my greatest cry is for my heart to simply be kept alive... Yet He is always with me. Yet He is enthroned in heaven. Yet He is God, and more than worthy of the best of my heart.
Showing posts with label Sacrifice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sacrifice. Show all posts
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Fireflies
"Jesus Christ did not say, 'Go into all the world and tell the world that it is quite right.'" ~C.S. Lewis
The call to abandon all, to become a "nobody," and to die to self is not a very popular call these days. We'd rather keep all those things we love. We'd rather be a "somebody." We'd rather have our own desires.
We'd rather have this world than Jesus.
Let me tell you about a time in my life when I had to give up two very important things/people that Jesus called me to put on the altar...
Actually, I can't, because this story doesn't just involve me. But let me see if I can put it in the abstract for you.
Jesus said, "Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:33). But oh, I say, Jesus, isn't that a little harsh? I mean, I'll give You some of this stuff in my life. But everything? I don't even think I know about everything that's in my life!
But that's what He said. He also said, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters -- yes, even his own life -- he cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:26).
Oh! I protest. That doesn't sound like Jesus at all! Didn't He say we should love each other? Ah-ha! Jesus is wrong! This means I don't have to do that...right?
Wrong. Of course, He did not mean that we should all start yelling at each other and despising the people He's put in our lives. But in comparison to our love for Him, our love for the things of this world should look like hate. There should be a huge difference between our love for Him and our love for the blessings He pours over us. Think about it like the difference between the love you have for ice cream, and the love a husband and wife have for each other. Hopefully, there's quite a contrast there.
The things we are given in this world can oftentimes be good! Friendships, goals, dreams, relationships. But God did not ask Abraham to put a despised son on the altar; He requested "your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love." He asks that even our good desires; our good dreams; our good relationships; be offered on the altar. He asks for a declaration that He is more important; that if something else is claiming our attention above Him, we give it up immediately.
The problem is, when we put things on the altar, we oftentimes expect to get them back. "I'll give You my hope of a love story, and then You can give it back. Deal? Deal." And I've put a lot of friendships and dreams on the altar that He has, indeed, been faithful to refine and then restore. But there are other things I put on the altar that I am never given back. Things, people, dreams, that I love, and that are good; but are consuming too much of my life. They are lovers that are taking the place of my First Love, and He gently asks me to give them up without ever expecting to get them back.
But in all honesty, though these are the most painful sacrifices, they can also be some of the most beautiful. The larger the offering loomed in our heart, the larger the hole when it is gone; and the more of God we receive in return. When He takes away, He will never leave you empty. He will fill you with Himself, if you will just ask and seek.
You may live your entire life a Christian without ever truly experiencing Christ. And you can stay that way. You can remain complacent, as a Christian but never a disciple. But if you would experience the fullness of joy in God's presence, go; sell all you have; and follow Him. He will not disappoint.
(Oh, and what in the world does the title have to do with this post, you may ask? Some of you already know. The rest of you probably don't need to.)
The call to abandon all, to become a "nobody," and to die to self is not a very popular call these days. We'd rather keep all those things we love. We'd rather be a "somebody." We'd rather have our own desires.
We'd rather have this world than Jesus.
Let me tell you about a time in my life when I had to give up two very important things/people that Jesus called me to put on the altar...
Actually, I can't, because this story doesn't just involve me. But let me see if I can put it in the abstract for you.
Jesus said, "Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:33). But oh, I say, Jesus, isn't that a little harsh? I mean, I'll give You some of this stuff in my life. But everything? I don't even think I know about everything that's in my life!
But that's what He said. He also said, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters -- yes, even his own life -- he cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:26).
Oh! I protest. That doesn't sound like Jesus at all! Didn't He say we should love each other? Ah-ha! Jesus is wrong! This means I don't have to do that...right?
Wrong. Of course, He did not mean that we should all start yelling at each other and despising the people He's put in our lives. But in comparison to our love for Him, our love for the things of this world should look like hate. There should be a huge difference between our love for Him and our love for the blessings He pours over us. Think about it like the difference between the love you have for ice cream, and the love a husband and wife have for each other. Hopefully, there's quite a contrast there.
The things we are given in this world can oftentimes be good! Friendships, goals, dreams, relationships. But God did not ask Abraham to put a despised son on the altar; He requested "your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love." He asks that even our good desires; our good dreams; our good relationships; be offered on the altar. He asks for a declaration that He is more important; that if something else is claiming our attention above Him, we give it up immediately.
The problem is, when we put things on the altar, we oftentimes expect to get them back. "I'll give You my hope of a love story, and then You can give it back. Deal? Deal." And I've put a lot of friendships and dreams on the altar that He has, indeed, been faithful to refine and then restore. But there are other things I put on the altar that I am never given back. Things, people, dreams, that I love, and that are good; but are consuming too much of my life. They are lovers that are taking the place of my First Love, and He gently asks me to give them up without ever expecting to get them back.
But in all honesty, though these are the most painful sacrifices, they can also be some of the most beautiful. The larger the offering loomed in our heart, the larger the hole when it is gone; and the more of God we receive in return. When He takes away, He will never leave you empty. He will fill you with Himself, if you will just ask and seek.
You may live your entire life a Christian without ever truly experiencing Christ. And you can stay that way. You can remain complacent, as a Christian but never a disciple. But if you would experience the fullness of joy in God's presence, go; sell all you have; and follow Him. He will not disappoint.
(Oh, and what in the world does the title have to do with this post, you may ask? Some of you already know. The rest of you probably don't need to.)
Monday, August 30, 2010
Costly Obedience
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." ~Luke 18:22
I've been learning what it means to obey God, even when it hurts.
David was once commanded by God to build an altar on a piece of land that belonged to a man named Araunah. When Araunah heard why David wanted to purchase his land, he offered it to the king for free. But David responded, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing" (2 Samuel 24:24).
So many times in our lives, we offer to God burnt offerings that cost us nothing. "Two dollars to that homeless guy? Sure! This box of crayons to a little orphan girl in Ukraine? I'd love to! This strange-looking fern that my grandmother gave me for my birthday? Oh, Lord, I would love to give you that!" And we walk away feeling so good about ourselves, because we've done something for God.
And then He comes after the important things in our life. The things we believe are essential. "But if I do that, Lord, I may lose my dream of that beautiful house in Colorado with the white picket fence and the perfect husband. If I stand up and obey You in this area, God, I might lose that friendship. Jesus, if I give my life in obedience to You, You might take it from me."
We serve a God who demands all. Not just the things we feel like giving up. Everything. From your fern to your heart, He wants it all. And you can be assured that when you make a commitment to come after Him, He will demand obedience that will cost you something.
Isaiah 58:10 says that what is pleasing to God is to "spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry." Not to keep your life to yourself. Not to ignore God's call and stay comfortably at home, hoarding your money, your time, and your life. No, we are to spend ourselves. To give up everything for the least of these that God places around us, and in so doing, to know His face.
And so you don't have to be depressed that you're giving up your life. It is not drudgery, though it may feel like it for a while. Costly obedience is repaid tenfold. We have the pleasure, the joy of following in the footsteps of Christ, who gave up all for the sake of others. The least we can do is give up all for Him. And when we spend ourselves, He promises, "Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and He will say: Here am I" (Isaiah 58:8-9).
But first we must obey. Without sacrifice, there can be no return. Without passionate love for Jesus Christ, we will never bring ourselves to give up our all. And without spending our lives, we will lose more than we ever thought possible.
I've been learning what it means to obey God, even when it hurts.
David was once commanded by God to build an altar on a piece of land that belonged to a man named Araunah. When Araunah heard why David wanted to purchase his land, he offered it to the king for free. But David responded, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing" (2 Samuel 24:24).
So many times in our lives, we offer to God burnt offerings that cost us nothing. "Two dollars to that homeless guy? Sure! This box of crayons to a little orphan girl in Ukraine? I'd love to! This strange-looking fern that my grandmother gave me for my birthday? Oh, Lord, I would love to give you that!" And we walk away feeling so good about ourselves, because we've done something for God.
And then He comes after the important things in our life. The things we believe are essential. "But if I do that, Lord, I may lose my dream of that beautiful house in Colorado with the white picket fence and the perfect husband. If I stand up and obey You in this area, God, I might lose that friendship. Jesus, if I give my life in obedience to You, You might take it from me."
We serve a God who demands all. Not just the things we feel like giving up. Everything. From your fern to your heart, He wants it all. And you can be assured that when you make a commitment to come after Him, He will demand obedience that will cost you something.
Isaiah 58:10 says that what is pleasing to God is to "spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry." Not to keep your life to yourself. Not to ignore God's call and stay comfortably at home, hoarding your money, your time, and your life. No, we are to spend ourselves. To give up everything for the least of these that God places around us, and in so doing, to know His face.
And so you don't have to be depressed that you're giving up your life. It is not drudgery, though it may feel like it for a while. Costly obedience is repaid tenfold. We have the pleasure, the joy of following in the footsteps of Christ, who gave up all for the sake of others. The least we can do is give up all for Him. And when we spend ourselves, He promises, "Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and He will say: Here am I" (Isaiah 58:8-9).
But first we must obey. Without sacrifice, there can be no return. Without passionate love for Jesus Christ, we will never bring ourselves to give up our all. And without spending our lives, we will lose more than we ever thought possible.
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