“I Surrender! I Surrender!”

Lately I’ve been giving a lot of thought to what God requires of us. Or maybe, what God requires of me.  Because lately, God’s really been putting me through it, to the point that I’m now down in the trenches and waving the white flag of mercy, “I surrender! I surrender!”  And this can be a tough place to be, at least for me, because, I thought I had already gone through all my surrender issues.  Apparently though, there are still some areas of my life I’ve been hanging on to, (namely, trust issues) which God not so gently pointed out to me.

Yeah, God can be tough on us sometimes, it’s true.  The longer you hang with Him and really get to know Him, you’ll see.  He’s pretty much a  stickler about everything.  Oh, sometimes He’ll go gentle on us (especially if you’re a newbie), but if you got some serious weeds, (with deep roots) He won’t hesitate to pull out a bulldozer – whatever it takes.  Unfortunately for me with this last ordeal that I’ve been through, (and I’m sorry to say am still in the midst of) God plowed me.

Now, with most of these “God plowings” God usually gives us ample opportunity to avoid them, but in this case, such as not listening to Him in the first place, (think of Jonah here) He has no choice but to amp it up, “CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?”  Me: “I think so.”  Because literally, I just took it on the chin and am now down for the count,  “1… 2…”  Well, you get my drift and the last place you want to be, is in a boxing match with God.

Now don’t get me wrong, this wasn’t outright defiance, (okay, maybe it was to some degree, the more I think about it) but it was just a little thing, really.  Kind of like Jonah and Nineveh, (okay, maybe not quite that big) but still, God was calling me on a mission, only… I kept hesitating, God kept calling, and again… I kept hesitating.  Yeah, the thing about a mission is, when God calls you, it’s going to require of you two things: something called sacrifice, and something else: faith, and lots of it.

Me: “But…”

God:  “No, no buts…”

Me:  But…”

And then this is the part where God gets really annoyed and I land flat on my back with two bad knees.

God: “I kept telling you.”

Me: “I know.  If only I had listened.”

Yeah, if only I had listened, but the thing about God is, He still has a mission, for each and every one of us.  And the thing about God is, even if we do screw it up by not trusting Him in the first place, (and yeah, those orders will self destruct in 30 seconds) He’ll send another one, until we finally do get it.

And how do I know this? Because when you’re laid up, it has a really big way of getting your attention.  Not to mention that when I walked, (and yeah, thankfully I can still walk) into the doctor’s office the other day and took a seat in the waiting room, there just so happened to be a story on the news about some guy who wrote a book on faith, (yeah, talk about divine appointment).

Now, don’t ask me to recall who the author was or even the name of the book, because that’s not what I remember.  The only thing I remember is that it followed the story of a man who was sent to prison, and once there he told God, “God, if you’ll just get me out of this mess, then you can have my life.” Or in other words: surrender.  Oh, and that man is now a pastor in an inner city somewhere making a difference in the lives of people, who really need the hope that he brings them.

God:  “CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?”

Me:  “Yes, God.  I’m going.”

“Check!”

And as I look at the title now I suppose it could convey a number of different things really, but for this post I’m thinking about flying. Yes, flying, and I actually have a fear of flying (don’t ask me why) but I think I’m getting better about it. I figure if I’m going to go and be it in a plane, then I’m going to go no matter what so when it comes to flying I’ll just close my eyes (through the take off’s and landings) and let God do the rest. So ya, for this post it’s flying that I’m thinking of when I think of “check!”

You see, growing up my Dad was a pilot, not a commercial pilot but a private pilot. He had a private plane and so instead of taking road trips we would all jump into the airplane and fly to wherever it was we were going. Ya, you’d think with all of my experience that I would love to fly or at least not mind it, but no, I still, to this day dislike it.

I remember all the preparation that had to take place before we could take off: walk around the plane, inspect the flaps, rudder, wheels, turn the prop. If that all looked good then “jump inside!”

My brother and I were always in the backseat. We’d have our headsets on (with a mic) and so ya, I guess compared to driving it was pretty cool, plus, as we all know with flying you can cover a lot more distance in a lot less time.

But anyway, my Dad would turn some knobs, pull some levers, and I think there was an ignition key but now I don’t really remember, but before I knew it he would have the plane up and running and planes, or at least small ones buzz. It’s the propeller, and it feels like, oh I don’t know, like those little wooden planes that you wind up, the ones with the rubber band? and before you know it you’re about to be slingshoted.

But my Dad checks some more buttons, levers, the gauges across his instrument panel and if that all looks good we then taxi out to the runway, his communication with the tower occasionally breaking the eight track tape that’s currently playing over our headsets, (and ya, this is the 70′s so, we were probably listening to something my mom picked out like Olivia Newton John or Helen Reddy? I think it was Helen Reddy). Ya, music to fly by; “must be soothing.” But anyway, we taxi out to the runway, and before taking off we pause, because it’s here we always pause, and then my Dad pulls out “the list.” The “check” list and every time he does this, every time before we fly.

Down the list he reads. “Flaps?” he asks and then he turns the appropriate handle to make sure that it’s working and if so we then hear him call out “check!” Next on the list, “Rudder?” he asks and again he checks to see if it’s working and if so, again we hear over our headsets, “check!” Continuing on down the list until lastly he turns to look at all of us, “seatbelts?” he asks and everyone nods, “check!” Only until everything clears his list, the “check list” does he then proceed onto the runway, the engine running full force, the sound deafening and speeding forward, the propeller whirling, we take off. Yes, we’re airborn, yes, we’re flying!

I write this because I was thinking about this just this morning. Thinking about how everyday I need to have the same kind of spiritual check list before heading out into my day. Asking God to form in me His character and His ways of thinking. Asking Him to weed out of me anything that to Him is displeasing and most importantly, surrendering all that I am to Him that I would do nothing in my own strength.

So often God reminds me of this; that it has to be a daily thing. That daily we have to form our own spiritual check list because then and only then will we be able to fly with Him on the wings of His Holy Spirit!

CHECK THIS OUT!
To see what God is doing through men and women who want nothing more than to fly with Him! And while you’re there don’t forget to sign “The Guestbook” because on God’s plane there are always enough tickets!

Love is the Answer

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:28-31)

Love is the answer.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

Love is the answer.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

Love is the Answer

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:8-12)

Love is the answer. Love is the answer. Hold all that you are up to the greatest two commandments. Am I loving God with all that I am? And if I am not, since love comes from God then how can I possibly love my neighbor as myself? I cannot. The only way God’s love can be revealed in me is if I am submersed in Him. The only way God’s love can be revealed in me is if I am identified with Him. The only way God’s love will be evident in me is if I am crucified with Him. Daily we must make this conscious decision; we will either choose to follow Him or we will choose to forsake. Daily we must ask ourselves, “is God’s love evident in me?”

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)

Love is the answer.

“I remember when you used to love me.”

Someone wrote me just this morning about this and so I thought I would post it; God’s love letter to those in His church who’s hearts have strayed far from Him, written through the poet Blair Wingo. And for some reason as I do, the song “Revive Us” by Anointed comes to mind.

May we, the precious Bride of Christ be filled with His Spirit in 2008! Laying aside all others in complete abandonment and surrender to Him, for only Jesus, the Son of the Living God has the power to save!

How Shall We?

How shall we reach the lost? How shall we reach the broken hearted, the wounded and those who live a life enslaved to sin? How shall we reach them Oh God? How shall the Body of Christ stir up the hearts so that we should all turn to You in repentance? How shall we see ourselves Lord as we truly are, in filth, and brokenness, our need for a Savior? How shall we do this? How shall we open eyes that fail to see and ears that fail to hear? Tell us Lord, how shall we? Do our hearts ache for the oppressed and the unlovely? Do our hearts ache for those in bondage? Do we ourselves see even our own impoverished need? Has God brought us to that place of great emptying? How shall we ever get there Lord? How shall we? How shall we become Your great hands of mercy? How shall we feed the poor and needy? How shall we bind up the wounds of profuse bleeding? How shall we become the Spotless Bride of Christ that then they would see God your infinite love and tender mercies? Oh tell us Lord, how do we? How do we become all that You long for us to be? How do we be emptied? To fall on our faces in repentance, to remember that we are but dust? To remember that all that we are is because of You and belongs to You? How do we get to this place Oh God? How do we get to this place where we long only to please You? To live a life of quiet holiness and obedience unto You? You who died on a cross for us. You who died and nailed the sins of the world there pierced in your flesh to bear once and for all, for all of us. How do we Lord remember this? How do we recall all of Your loving acts of kindness? To let Your unfailing Love transform us so all that we are, all that we do honors You? How do we Lord? How do we become the Children of God? Oh, show us Lord. Open our weary and blinded eyes Lord that maybe then a dying world would see Your amazing Love, Your Saving Grace, and Jesus poured out and poured through us, you and me. How do we Lord? Have mercy.