Intimacy with God (XIII) Commitment

I cannot leave this series of blogs on intimacy with God, without meditating on our commitment to Him. Too often in this post Christian era, our commitment in earthly relationships has become “As long as we both shall love.” The admonition of the counsellor when the husband told him “I don’t love her anymore,” was ‘Love her!’ The husband replied that the councillor did not understand, he did not love her. The counsellor replied “I understand only too well, your feelings of love have died, but we believe in a God of resurrection, and love is resurrected through the process of obedience. And you are called to love your wife as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for her” (Ephesians 5:25). The point then, is that commitment is the vehicle that enables us to navigate the rough spots. It is the same in our relationship with God. The difference with our earthly relationships, is that He is never at fault, but that does not mean there will be no rough spots.

In fact, there are many things that trip us up (Mark 4:13-20). It is easy to be offended not only by what He allows, but also by what calls us to. Concerning being offended, we do not know the future. I have always wondered how I would react were I to loose a child. What I mean is that it is much easier to say that I am totally committed and will never be offended, than it is to be be that, the difficulty is in our walk matching our talk. This is one of the reasons why people hesitate to come to the Lord in the first place, they wonder if they will be able to live up to their commitment. But I cannot keep myself, all I can do is to commit as much as I know, and trust with Paul that “He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day” (2 Timothy 1:12). He is the One who gives grace to stand (Romans 5:2), we cannot do it without Him, I cannot. That is why I needed to get saved in the first place!

Concerning what He calls us to, He tells me “Take up your cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). The cross was and is, a symbol of suffering. He tells us “The servant is not grater than the master, if they persecuted me they will persecute you” (John 15:20). And what He calls us to can seem unreasonable, until we realize both the price he paid for our redemption, and our rescue from an eternal separation from God. In light of these things, as I have already said, the only reasonable thing is to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God (Romans 12:1). He could of course, take us out of the world the moment we get saved, but we are the salt of the earth, the light the world, and He intends that our lives reflect His glory in this way to attract the lost to Himself. He works all things together for our good, and in doing so makes us more like Christ, and we become the firstborn among many brethren (Romans 8:28, 29).

Father, I cannot live the Christian life without You, without a whole truckload of help from You. Thank you Lord, that You are able to save us to the uttermost, that is completely and perfectly (Hebrews 7:25). Your Word tells me that You are a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29). But I know Lord, that the safest place is close to the flame. Thank You that You can save, and You can keep. You give me the very breath I breathe, You are my saviour, my Lord, my shelter, my strong tower, my deliverer, my sustainer, the One who empowers me. You are my all in all, and I love You and I give You thanks and praise again this morning in Jesus Name Amen