Friday, June 17, 2022

Pastor's Ponderings, June 17, 2022

Committed Or Merely Involved


There is a classic story of commitment involving farm animals. “A pig and a hen sharing the same barnyard heard about a church’s program to feed the hungry. The pig and the hen discussed how they could help. The hen said, “I’ve got it! We’ll provide bacon and eggs for the church to feed the hungry.” The pig thought about the suggestion and said, “There’s only thing wrong with your bacon and eggs idea. For you, it only requires a contribution, but from me, it will mean total commitment!”

How committed are we to the things of God? He loved us so much that He gave His only Son (John 3:16).  Are we only interested in involving ourselves with God when we are desperate and cornered with no way out or are we totally committed to Him?   Are we praising and worshipping God when things are going well with us or can we passionately praise Him when the judge rules against us, when the doctor just shakes his head, or when the banker tells us has been denied?

The Bible tells us that true worship means that we are to give our bodies totally to God (Romans 12:1).  We commit ourselves to allowing Him to set our priorities, plans, and purposes.  We cannot be people who love the Lord on Sundays but give the rest of the week to things that have no eternal importance.  If we have vacillating allegiances, we should expect nothing from God (James 1:6-8). Only what we do for Christ will last. When the last hymn has been sung, the last praise has been rung, and the last prayers have been prayed, we want to say that it was all for the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.  

Yolanda Adams sings, “Is Your All On the Altar?”   Some of the lyrics are “Is your all on the altar of sacrifice? Is it laid? Your heart does the Spirit control? Now, you can only, you can only be blessed and have peace and sweet rest after you have yielded unto the Lord your body and your soul.”  Let us give ourselves totally to Him and receive His peace and sweet rest. 

John 3:16
New International Version
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 12:1

New International Version

12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

 

James 1:6-8

New International Version

But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 
That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 
Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.



 

 

 

 

 

No comments: