There are days when I pick up my Bible and begin reading and the conviction that comes is very humbling. Today was one of those days as I read these words, "And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands I am giving you today." Deuteronomy 6:6, NLT1. With what I wrote on Friday about how I had struggled with my quiet time and journaling still fresh on my mind these words hit hard. To be honest, that is the root of my problem, a lack of wholehearted commitment. I do not yet love the Lord my God with ALL of my heart. Can someone like me actually say that in writing? I have lots of lesser loves that vie for my attention.
I went on to read Jesus words to the disciples of John the Baptist. John had sent them to ask Jesus if He was the one-the Messiah they were waiting for-or if they should wait for another. This one line caught my attention, "God blesses those who are not offended by Me." You may wonder how that fits with my earlier thoughts. I have gotten the impression that Jesus was not what they were expecting. He was not coming in and overthrowing the government. He was not restoring Israel to power. He was busy going around healing people, He had even just raised a woman's son from the dead. A story that is one of my favorites by the way for what did not take place. The woman did not seek out Jesus for this miracle, she did not ask for His help. Jesus simply noticed this woman's grief as she walked by with the funeral procession and He was moved with compassion and returned her son to her. (Luke 7:11-17) That is the kind of God that He is. And that is the God who wants me to be wholeheartedly committed to Him. The things He asks me to do with my life are things that the world just does not understand. Sometimes I do not understand them myself. Will I be offended by what He asks of me? Am I offended by His call for me to spend time with Him each and every day? To lay aside my own selfish, and often times foolish desires, to follow Him with my whole heart?
After John's disciples left, Jesus then spoke to the crowd that was gathered about John the Baptist. The NLT1 concludes that passage with these words, "When they heard this, all the people, including the unjust tax collectors, agreed that God's plan was right, for they had been baptized by John. But the Pharisees and experts in religious law had rejected God's plan for them, for they had refused John's baptism." Luke 7:29-30.
To know what is right and not do it is to reject God's plan for me. That is where I really feel convicted. I started this year with the goal of becoming the woman God wants me to be. Am I willing to accept His plan for me in that process? Am I willing to give myself over to that plan wholeheartedly? The very last verse i read from Luke this morning were these words from Jesus, "But wisdom is shown to be right by the lives of those who follow it." Luke 7:35, NLT1 A wise woman would follow the path that the Lord has laid out for her. I am making the choice to take another step on that path today, and I intend to make the same choice again tomorrow. I pray for a heart that will make that same choice every day for the remainder of my days on this earth.
Grace, Peace, and Mercy,
 |
| When I looked for an image to share, my search for "wholehearted" pulled this one up- I think they are pretty much focused on just one thing here, and really isn't that what it is all about? |
After John's disciples left, Jesus then spoke to the crowd that was gathered about John the Baptist. The NLT1 concludes that passage with these words, "When they heard this, all the people, including the unjust tax collectors, agreed that God's plan was right, for they had been baptized by John. But the Pharisees and experts in religious law had rejected God's plan for them, for they had refused John's baptism." Luke 7:29-30.
To know what is right and not do it is to reject God's plan for me. That is where I really feel convicted. I started this year with the goal of becoming the woman God wants me to be. Am I willing to accept His plan for me in that process? Am I willing to give myself over to that plan wholeheartedly? The very last verse i read from Luke this morning were these words from Jesus, "But wisdom is shown to be right by the lives of those who follow it." Luke 7:35, NLT1 A wise woman would follow the path that the Lord has laid out for her. I am making the choice to take another step on that path today, and I intend to make the same choice again tomorrow. I pray for a heart that will make that same choice every day for the remainder of my days on this earth.
Grace, Peace, and Mercy,
Deb
1 comment:
Thanks for the Word and the words from your heart. I just finished Deuteronomy last week; it's my favorite OT book! My life verse is 31:8. My heart needed exactly what you shared today. Enough said. Glad you're back!
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