The Little Yes

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Abandoning all to Him.  Surrender.  Living with open hands.  Open to whatever God chooses to place into them or take out of them.  It can be a very fearful thing.  Never knowing what God has planned.  And while I made that one “big yes” to God (Romans 12:1) as a teenager, I often struggle to say “yes” moment by moment, day by day.

It’s not the big plans of my life that I have trouble relinquishing.  It’s not who I will marry or where I will live, or what is my career.  Many of those questions have been answered already (at least for now).  It’s the little plans.  Letting Him control the path of my day when I had so many things that I wanted to accomplish. 

It’s the “I wanted to do __________ during naptime but the baby won’t sleep.”

It’s the “I never get time for myself.”

It’s the “Why are all of my kids sick, again?”

It’s the “I’m so tired of changing diapers and washing dishes and wiping up spills.”

In those mundane, everyday tasks and plans which are so necessary to daily life.  That is where I resist.  That is where I hold back.  That is where I try to force my plans instead of opening my hand to God’s agenda for my day. 

That is where I must surrender.

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
Matthew 16:24 

Change Your Garment

68 months ago, I married my best friend.  That translates into five years and eight months.  It seems like forever.  And two states, four apartments, three jobs, four kids, and two home businesses later we are still in love!

My devotion book this morning shared the story of a beggar who was invitied to dine with, and then lvie with the king.  He was provided new clothing and sat at the king’s table, yet he carried his old raggedy clothing with him everywhere because he never knew when he would need them.

Of course the spiritual parallel of the story is that we have been given a change of clothing by the King of Kings at salvation.  We have been invited to dine at His table, to live in His palace, and to enjoy all of the benefits of His royalty.  He offers it all to us through Christ.  Yet we cling to our rags of the flesh, carrying around old habits and besetting sins “just in case we ever need them.”  We do not fully realize the change and transformation that has been offered to us.  I fall into this trap too many times – just not quite willing to let completely go of who I was and to fully become who I am in Christ.

As I thought on this fictional tale and its spiritual lesson, I thought of the fact that today is one of our “anniversaries” as a married couple.  My husband and I have a game to see who can remember that it is the 26th of the month, and tell the other person first.  I usually lose, but today I won.  In fact, Ben texted me to say it is a score of about 65 to 3!

Five years and eight months ago I was getting ready to say “I do” and change my life forever.  I was going to change my name, where I lived, and who I lived with.  In preparation for that important, life-changing ceremony, I changed my clothes.  I put on my best dress – a new white garment picked especially for that day. 

When I accepted Christ at salvation, my life changed spiritually – forever.  My home was changed from earth to heaven, and I was seated in heaven with Christ.  I was offered a new “dress” of purity and holiness.  Why is it that spiritually I so often refuse the new garment which has been hand-picked for me by God?  Today I want to live in my new clothes, and leave my rags behind.

Isaiah 61:3  To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Zechariah 3:3-4  Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.  4 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

Little Feet

Someday, the feet that wear these shoes will leave my home.  They will go places.  In the world.  What will they do?  Where will they go?  Who will direct their steps? 

As “Mommy” I get the incredible privilege…and responsibility of pointing my little people, and their little feet, to the Word of God. 

As they learn to surrender their “where’s” to Jesus, He will guide their steps. 

He will take them to amazing places. 

He will use them to do great things for God.

If these feet one day carry the Gospel with them, then they will be beautiful to God…just as these little baby feet are so beautiful to me today. 

And as their feet are only little for a short time, so I have a very short time to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 

Today, I want my mothering to count for eternity.

Consume my life…

I found this quote in the flyleaf of my Bible.  I had forgotten that I wrote it there during college.

Grieve Not the Spirit

Ephesians 4:30 says, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”  I have mentioned before that I am reading a book on the Spirit-filled life called Rivers of Living Water by Ruth Paxson.  In this book she describes grieving as a love word, because you cannot grieve someone who does not love you.  Ms. Paxson goes on to describe the ways we can grieve the Spirit who indwells us.  Each point has to do with a name for the Spirit in the Word of God.  These are direct quotes from the book:

• He is the Spirit of truth (John 14:17), so anything false, deceitful, hypocritical, grieves Him.
• He is the Spirit of faith (2 Cor. 4:13), so doubt, unbelief, distrust, worry, anxiety, grieve Him.
• He is the Spirit of grace (Heb. 10:29), so that which is hard, bitter, ungracious, unthankful, malicious, unforgiving, grieves Him.
• He is the Spirit of wisdom (Eph. 1:17), so ignorance, conceit, arrogance, and folly grieve Him.
• He is the Spirit of power, love and discipline (2 Tim. 1:7), so our weakness, fruitlessness, disorderliness, and lack of control grieve Him.
• He is the Spirit of life (Rom. 8:2), so anything that savors of indifference, lukewarmness, dullness or deadness grieves Him.
• He is the Spirit of glory (1 Pet. 4:14), so that which is wordly, earthly, or fleshly grieves Him.

I thought that was a very good way of explaining it and looking at the things in our lives which grieve the Holy Spirit.  He cannot fill us and control us if we are grieving Him by allowing these characteristics in our lives.

“None of self, and all of Thee”

I am reading a book called Rivers of Living Water by Ruth Paxson.  She was a missionary in China, and spoke at many conferences.  The book is a compilation of many messages she spoke on the Spirit-filled life.  The chapter I just finished deals with choosing Christ or choosing self – the two natures which dwell in the Christian.  Miss Paxson closes the chapter with this poem.  No author is specified, so I am assuming she wrote it.  It touched me as I seek to live the Spirit-filled life, and I wanted to share it here.

Oh! the bitter shame and sorrow,
That a time could ever be,
When I let the Saviour’s pity
Plead in vain, and proudly answered--
“All of self and none of Thee.”

Yet He found me: I beheld Him
Bleeding on the cursed tree;
Heard Him pray, “Forgive them, Father,”
And my wistful heart said faintly--
“Some of self and some of Thee.”

Day by day His tender mercy,
Healing, helping, full and free,
Sweet and strong, and oh! so patient,
Brought me lower while I whispered--
“Less of self and more of Thee.”

Higher than the highest heavens,
Deeper than the deepest sea;
Lord, thy love at last has conquered:
Grant me now my soul’s petition--
“None of self and all of Thee.”

Ann Judson

I like quotes from godly Christian people who have gone before us.  One of my favorite quotes is from Ann Judson, wife of missionary-pioneer to Burma, Adoniram Judson.  I have this quote written in the fly-leaf of my Bible to remind me to surrender to the Lord, no matter where He wants to take me, or what He asks me to do.

“Direct me in thy service, and I ask no more.  I would not choose my position of work or place of labor.  Only let me know Thy Will, and I will readily comply.”

:: Ann Judson