But now I have a problem, sometimes I can be unwilling. I really truly want to be totally given over to God so that I can be used by Him. Yet sometimes my heart is unwilling, I sometimes question why I should give up some of the things in my life. I want to one day marry a girl that I want to marry; I don't want to give that over to God, I’m kind of scared He’ll stick me with a weirdo I’m not attracted to. I want to be friends with my friends even if they aren't the best people for me to be hanging around with 100 % of the time. I want to choose what kind of TV shows to watch, I like Friends and Sinefield just like the rest of North America and I don't want God telling me not to watch those shows. I’m not saying that these things are wrong, but me not wanting to give them over to God that is wrong. If I don’t do something about this unwillingness then it looks like I really have a problem. I am going to be caught in a life that is half hearted for Christ.
Even easier than it is for me to have a problem, is Gods ability to have the solution. God created me and He knows my weaknesses, just as He knows yours. There is a way to get beyond that inevitable unwillingness that plagues so many of us throughout our lives. The answer is so simple that it seems kind of childish, and it is childish, but after all we are God’s children.
What did you do when you were a child and you needed something? “Mommy! I’m hungry” and as you go older “Dad, I need money”. We all did it, some more than others (especially the money part). We ask our parents for things over the course of our whole lives as they did to their parents. It is a continuous cycle of giving that has taken place since Cain and Abel; parents desire to provide for their children. Why should our heavenly Father be any different? He’s not.
Jesus said Himself that God can and will give to those who ask. All I have to do is ask God, “God I am willing to let you make me be willing to give up these things and commit these areas of my life to you”. Wow that’s cool “God I am willing to be willing.” If I can learn to let God work in my life He can take care of it for me. Well ok not 'for' me, I am a being that has been given the wonderful gift of freewill - which gives me the ability to be willing.
Unfortunately just making the decision to be willing is not enough, God is going to work in me to make me more willing but I will also have to work as well. I will have to give up those areas of my life; I know that God is going to let me start small and that He's going to give me strength to do it. I know that He won't put me in a situation that is out of my ability to do what I know I should do. I also know that once I master giving up the small things that God will move me onto the bigger things, He'll never give me more than I can handle, and eventually I will be a man completely and Absolutely surrendered to Christ.
I can fee l this longing on the inside. Something pulling at my spirit that I need Christ and I need to be closer to Him. I have Christ living in my heart through the Holy Spirit but that doesn't mean that I am surrendered to Him. I still have these things in my life, things that I want, and I am going to have to let go. If I don't let go then I will never able to reach my full usefulness to God, and that is my hearts desire. Deep within my soul I feel a calling to be a servant of the most High God. To be used by Him to expand His kingdom. To have my cinnamon brown added to your wild cherry red. I know that if I want to be used by God - Which I do – then I will have to give up those areas of my life. I know that God is going to help me, He promises to do so in His word.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Monday, February 12, 2007
Cinnamon Brown!
So what does it mean to be absolutely surrendered to God? Well I like to think of it like this. Consider yourself to be a pen or pencil or what ever your preferred writing utensil may be. My preferred writing utensil happens to be a cinnamon scented brown marker, you know, the kind you would find in a typical Sunday school room. So lets say that as this cinnamon scented marker I can choose whom I will allow to colour using me. I have the choice between who will get to use me – God or the devil. Now in Gods hands I can be used to create a wonderful masterpiece. God can take my brown cinnamon scented colour and weave it amongst the rest of the unique colours and scents of His children and create the most beautiful picture ever seen.
But what happens if I don’t let God colour with me? Well then that beautiful masterpiece will still be the most amazing masterpiece, just without my unique cinnamon brown woven into your mint green, grape purple, or wild cherry red. God’s wonderful masterpiece will always go on, it doesn’t hinge on me and it doesn’t hinge on you. The main component of God’s wonderful masterpiece is Jesus Christ and His sacrifice. The rest of us have our special gifts to offer. Those special gifts can be used by God to bring others to a place in their lives where they accept the forgiveness that comes as a result of Christ’s sacrifice. It is those unique gifts, those distinct colours that when brought together form the splendid background of God’s great work, with Jesus front and centre of the whole design.
Is there a third option here? No! But many believe that there is. Like so many Christians today I can try to let God colour with me and let the devil colour with me too. I can attempt to allow both of them colour with me, thinking that I will get to be in God’s masterpiece while still getting to experience what comes with letting the devil have control of my life.
Can I let both God and the devil colour with me? Can you? Well this question I have already answered but just for fun here is a neat way to answer this for yourself. Stop reading this, go out and find someone you know and ask them to perform the following experiment with you. Take two pieces of paper; on one of those pieces of paper draw a simple drawing of two or three stick people standing in front of their home. You can add a couple of tree if you like and maybe even a family pet… whatever floats your boat. Now once you’ve finished the first drawing take the next piece of paper and try to draw the same drawing again only this time as you draw have your friend hold onto your writing utensil and try to assist you.
Right away you will notice how much harder it is to draw your simple little sketch. Having two forces trying to control the same tool is pretty tough and the outcome is pretty sub par, moreover that’s two forces that are trying to work in unison. Two opposing forces in control of the same utensil - now that’s impossible. That’s why the Bible says that a man cannot have two masters - it simply cannot be done.
Just as surely as you wouldn’t be able to create your best work of art using a tool that was partially controlled by another, neither can God. We all have times in our lives when we are more or less willing to be used by God. During those times when we are more willing, God can use us more for He has greater influence through us at those times. At those times of greater influence that is when our colour really comes through in God’s great work and we begin to fulfill one of our purposes here on earth.
A surrendered heart is a critical aspect of Christian living, but if it is so important than why do so few people posses it? Well for starters having a surrendered heart takes work. Having a surrendered heart means moving beyond ulterior motives and misguided spirituality. It means seeking God because you want to seek God, nothing else, no other reasons than God and God alone. That’s what it takes to have your wild cherry red in the masterpiece. Do you want to be used by God? Then let him be the only one holding onto you.
But what happens if I don’t let God colour with me? Well then that beautiful masterpiece will still be the most amazing masterpiece, just without my unique cinnamon brown woven into your mint green, grape purple, or wild cherry red. God’s wonderful masterpiece will always go on, it doesn’t hinge on me and it doesn’t hinge on you. The main component of God’s wonderful masterpiece is Jesus Christ and His sacrifice. The rest of us have our special gifts to offer. Those special gifts can be used by God to bring others to a place in their lives where they accept the forgiveness that comes as a result of Christ’s sacrifice. It is those unique gifts, those distinct colours that when brought together form the splendid background of God’s great work, with Jesus front and centre of the whole design.
Is there a third option here? No! But many believe that there is. Like so many Christians today I can try to let God colour with me and let the devil colour with me too. I can attempt to allow both of them colour with me, thinking that I will get to be in God’s masterpiece while still getting to experience what comes with letting the devil have control of my life.
Can I let both God and the devil colour with me? Can you? Well this question I have already answered but just for fun here is a neat way to answer this for yourself. Stop reading this, go out and find someone you know and ask them to perform the following experiment with you. Take two pieces of paper; on one of those pieces of paper draw a simple drawing of two or three stick people standing in front of their home. You can add a couple of tree if you like and maybe even a family pet… whatever floats your boat. Now once you’ve finished the first drawing take the next piece of paper and try to draw the same drawing again only this time as you draw have your friend hold onto your writing utensil and try to assist you.
Right away you will notice how much harder it is to draw your simple little sketch. Having two forces trying to control the same tool is pretty tough and the outcome is pretty sub par, moreover that’s two forces that are trying to work in unison. Two opposing forces in control of the same utensil - now that’s impossible. That’s why the Bible says that a man cannot have two masters - it simply cannot be done.
Just as surely as you wouldn’t be able to create your best work of art using a tool that was partially controlled by another, neither can God. We all have times in our lives when we are more or less willing to be used by God. During those times when we are more willing, God can use us more for He has greater influence through us at those times. At those times of greater influence that is when our colour really comes through in God’s great work and we begin to fulfill one of our purposes here on earth.
A surrendered heart is a critical aspect of Christian living, but if it is so important than why do so few people posses it? Well for starters having a surrendered heart takes work. Having a surrendered heart means moving beyond ulterior motives and misguided spirituality. It means seeking God because you want to seek God, nothing else, no other reasons than God and God alone. That’s what it takes to have your wild cherry red in the masterpiece. Do you want to be used by God? Then let him be the only one holding onto you.
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