Ardent means -impassioned;felling typically expressed in eager, zealous activity.
For me, totally devoted means-the state of being impassioned, eager and zealous for the Lord. That, I understand!
The question then should be, 'Am I totally devoted to the Lord?'
In order to be devoted to something or someone, you have to have confidence in them.
I was reminded of 2 Chronicles 16:9 "For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may STRONGLY SUPPORT those whose heart is completely His."
Are you kidding me! This verse is incredible. Who doesn't need support? This kind of verse just continues to entreat me to run after Christ.
Hebrews 11:6 says, "But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him."
Please don't misuse this truth, but the reality is when we cooperate with God, his best can come into our lives! Pleasing God has benefits to my life. Look at the story of Cornelius in Acts 10:1 or Mary the mother of Jesus; or Anna the phophetess in Luke 2-she got the reward of seeing Jesus in the Temple!
His benefits are many. In my own life, they have come sometimes in material things; sometimes in receiving comfort; and sometimes in stability. Psalm 112:1-6 says "blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commandments. -For he will never be shaken." I looked it up and 'never be shaken' literally means that I can be 'stable in adversity'. That, is an incredible benefit to being totally devoted to Christ!
I said in an earlier post that life is happening 24/7. So inevitably, I am going to be 'hit' with something. The point here is that it is possible for me to be stable in adversity! I don't HAVE to crumble.
In getting ready for my class last week, I was listing examples of all the above mentioned 'benefits' to being totally devoted to Christ. One of the examples that came to my mind was a story involving my oldest daughter Alex. She was a month away from her 16th birthday and we were discussing the fact that we probably were not going to be able to buy her a car for her birthday. Now, you have to understand that She is the kind of kid that always 'blooms where she is planted'. Seriously, when she was a little girl and I put her in time out (which was so rare), she didn't get upset, she would just sit in her chair and play! When she was a little older, I sent her to her room one time and instead of pouting or crying on her bed, she was just sitting there reading a book. How can you be mad at someone like that. Anyway, she was disappointed in the car thing but said she understood.
A couple of days later, she and I were driving and she said, " You know Mom, I would really like a Toyota Forerunner." I said, "Yea, me too!" And then she said, "And I like that color right there." As one past in front of us.
As the day approached, I could tell her disappointment was deepening. I went to her room one evening and reminded her of Matt. 6:33 "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added to you." She already was a stand up Christian in her school and every where else so she understood this was not a 'magic potion' verse. It was simply a reminder of what she should focus on.
I returned to my room and got down on the floor by my bed. I began praying and just asked God, "God, I believe there is nothing too difficult for you. I also know that you see Alex and know her heart. If you would, could you just bless her with a car. We will praise you if you do or if you don't. I am just lifting up my heart to you."
Two days before her birthday, I was driving to pick her up at school and my phone rang. It was my husband, Bo. He said, "I think I may have found a car for Alex." He is the finance guy at an area dealership here. I said, "Really, tell me about it." I thought he said, "It's a Ford Explorer and . . . ." I was thinking that would be pretty good and then he said it again, " The Forerunner . . .". I asked again, "What did you say?" He said, "Forerunner?" I said, "Oh my goodness. What color is it?" (like that mattered, but I was just checking to see how close God wanted to get!) He proceeded to tell me the color that Alex had pointed out to me several days earlier. I shouted again, "That's it!"
He said, "I'm not so sure."
To which I replied, "Are you kidding me? That's it!"
He was not aware of the conversation she and I had previously.
My heart was pumping so fast. I couldn't believe it. Would HE really do that? I didn't pray for a Forerunner in a specific color, nonetheless, but here it was. Are you kidding me! Two days before my girl's 16th birthday, a man 'just so happens' to drive into my husbands car dealership and trades in his car that 'just so happens' to be a Toyota Forerunner and 'just so happens' to be the color AND 'just so happens' to be at a cost we can afford!!! No way. God placed it right in our laps.
On her birthday, we took her out to dinner and gave her a letter we had written and a small box which she opened to find a hot wheels mini van. She laughed and said, "ha, ha". When we left the restaurant, her Daddy said he needed to stop by the office. We got out at the gate and walked across the lot and he unlocked the glass door. When she walked in, the Forerunner was parked on the showroom floor with a big red bow on top. She looked at him and me and said, "Are you kidding?" And then went to her Dad first, not the car, and hugged him!
It's not that it was this great car, it was greatly used in fact. It was the timing and the detail in God's blessing! I don't know why God choose to do that exactly, except that he choose to speak our language at the time so we would hear him loudly!
I didn't pull God out of my box and rub his belly and make a wish for something that I wanted for her. I know God doesn't work that way. It is more simply, that I did believe that 'nothing is too difficult for God', and I had believed that "God is a rewarder of those who seek him". I choose to live my life 'running hard after God', several years ago. That requires making the adjustments that he asks of me. It isn't always an easy road. As a matter of fact, 'dying to self' is painful. I have resisted a lot. But my desire is to follow what he says of me no matter the cost. I have followed at times with tears in my eyes.
Our obedience to what he shows us is evidence of our devotion to him.
Can I just tell you that every time I have taken even a baby step towards God in my obedience, He takes a GIANT leap towards me! Every time!
-It is hard to forgive when you feel wronged, yet that's what he asks of me.
-It is hard to say 'I'm sorry' to your husband when you think the argument was his fault, yet that's what God asked of me.
- It is hard to step into some one's dirt (because I might get dirty) and walk with them through it, yet that's what God asks of me.
-It's hard to agree with God about the sin that he sees in my life, like not telling the truth or talking about someone, yet that is what he asks me to do. The sweet thing about God (if you will let me say that) is he is all about reconciliation. It's His Thing! It's what Jesus died for.
Here's the thing:
God is just looking for a reason to bless us and obedience IS that reason!
Let me share on more thing with you. Tuesday morning, I prayed and thanked God for the great stories I have to tell about what he has done in my families life, but I asked him for a 'fresh' story. Something new I could share with my bible study class. Later that day, my youngest daughter, Sydney and I were sitting at the table. She did something that I thought was wrong and I told her how I felt. Then a few minutes later, she did it again. This time, I was mad. I blew my cool and yelled, loud. I proceeded to tell her why I was so angry and she was crying. She left the room. (Did I say that I had just finished my bible study and PRAYING?) During the night, I woke up and was suddenly convicted. God showed me my wrong. It was like watching a movie play out before my eyes. I started crying because of my sin and was brokenhearted. I asked God to forgive me. I got out of bed and went upstairs to Sydney's room. It was about 2:00 in the morning. I wanted to get her up and do something grand, instead I just kissed her and told her I loved her while she was off in dreamland.
The next morning, I knew God wanted me to confess to her and ask her to forgive me. I went up to her room. (Sometimes it is the hardest to tell the ones who live in the same house, you're sorry. Did I say that obeying God is hard? Here was my opportunity to obey) I shared my heart with her and asked her to forgive me. Afterwards, I said, "Hey, why don't you get dressed and get your bible and bible study and I will get mine and let's go to Panera for breakfast!" Of course, she was all for that. Did I tell you she was ten?
When we arrived in the parking lot, we checked our money to see what we would purchase. (We are watching our money and besides I never have any anyway!) We decided we would split whatever we bought. We walked in with our bibles and bible studies in hand and stood in line. A man approached us and said, "You guys here for coffee?" I said yes and he said, "It's free this morning," and handed me a coffee cup! I looked at Syd and she looked at me with big eyes. Then, a lady tapped me on the shoulder and said, "Would you like a free breakfast sandwich?" I smiled and said, "I certainly would!" Syd and I were almost laughing. She found us a table in the back corner and we sat down and she began reading to me from her bible study book. A few minutes passed and a young lady came over to our table (in the back corner) and asked, "Would you guys like to have a strawberry parfait?" We were smiling from ear to ear. I said, "Why, Yes we would!" I looked at Syd and said, 'God is a rewarder of those who seek Him!'
Strawberries are Syd's favorite!
As soon as the girl sat the 'gift' down on our table, it was like God saying, "HELLO! Here is your fresh story!" I said, "I get it, God."
Blessings,
Bekita
I vividly remember Alex's car story. I will never forget that Tuesday morning Bible study and you sharing her story with us. So precious.
ReplyDeleteIt has been neat as well as challenging to read your posts this afternoon. :)
Blessings and Hugs,
stephanie