A Committed Life

Yesterday morning when I was getting ready for church, I hit the snooze button just a few too many times. I was therefore also running late. But, no speeding for me during Lent!! At first when I was leaving my apartment, I tried justifying it in my head, "Well, God, don't you want me to be in church on time? So it should be ok for me to speed to get there... just this once." But I knew I shouldn't because I had already made that commitment to Him not to speed so I can literally and figuratively slow down.

This turned into quite the blessing in disguise. Ok, nothing major like missing an accident... well, who knows actually. But I was able to spend some time on my own in worship in my car. After, of course, I prayed that God would help alleviate my impatience and frustration. Which also subsided.

When I did get to church, our sermon lesson was about Abraham being tested by God to sacrifice his only son Isaac (Genesis 22). Now there is a picture of someone walking by faith, of a Christ-centered commitment... nothing like a Lenten sacrifice of not speeding.

Clearly Abraham was upset and confused by this test and trial that God presented him - Isaac was his only son, born to him in old age, and supposed to be the offspring of the promised Savior! But, even in his doubt and hurt, he - and even Isaac - complied, trusted God, and obeyed what God said. He was committed in his faith and trusted God's plan, as confusing as it may be. In turn, because of his faithfulness, God stopped Abraham before he actually sacrificed his son. And he provided a substitute ram for the sacrifice instead. Just a few of the many reasons we shouldn't doubt God's plan:

• "For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength." (1 Corinthians 1:25). We don't have a CLUE when it comes to God's plan. I'd like to think as an Academic All-American that I'm pretty smart, but to come close to the wisest man? Nah... I mean, it's not like I came up with the Fibonacci code (do I even know what that is?) or invented electricity or anything. And this kind of mind-blowing wisdom on earth... that's rubbish and foolishness to God. Hahaha. 

• "In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." (1 Peter 1:6-7). These trials and tests aren't for God's pleasure and enjoyment. They're for us. God uses tests and trials to reveal what's on the inside of our heart and purify us, refine us, and make us pure and holy. Not only is our faith in the midst of these circumstances credited to us as righteousness (Hebrews 11) but we also find out that God is more faithful to us than we ever thought. God shows up for those who love and follow Him.  

This lesson from Abraham and Isaac is such a beautiful picture of what God had to go through when sacrificing his son Jesus for us. God was clearly upset and in agony over having to sacrifice and abandon his only Son. But he loved us enough to go through with it anyways (John 3:16). When we are faithful and believe in Him, Jesus acts as our holy, perfect substitute before God. God followed through on his commitment to us so that I can be saved and live in heaven with Him. I think a little commitment about not speeding... or reading my Bible... or being devoted in prayer... or loving others as myself... can be followed through out of love and praise to Him too.

The sobering and sacrificial sight of what our sin cost our Savior.
The ultimate picture of sacrificial love and commitment. 

Be Still

I'm a control freak. I'm such a Type A personality. I have lists for any and everything. I try to be efficient and end up being unproductive. I hurry. I overthink. I make little things bigger than they need to be. Whoaaaa, yikes! That's probably not the way to attract a handsome, attractive young man, is it?! ;) I probably didn't need to share all of those lovely qualities... but I'm sure if you're honest, you can all relate.

Because my life seems to be a big 'to-do' list, my intimate time with God tends to be put on the 'when-there's-time' list. Oops!

This season of Lent, I truly do desire to know my Savior more intimately. I need to get rid of the distractions, the busyness, the hurry... and simply be still and sit at His feet. By doing so, I know a natural progression will arise that will allow me to:

• Better know Jesus, His love for me, and His perfect life lived for me
• Recognize and repent more openly and honestly of my sin
• Understand the holiness and awsomeness of God my Father
• Realize my utter dependence on Jesus my Savior and better understand His passion and journey that he endured for my sake
• Serve him more joyfully and freely 
• Ultimately continue to be still and sit at his feet more and more - because who wouldn't want to come to a fuller knowledge of all of these wonderful truths?!

That sounds like a lot, even for me, Miss List Queen! But it's not more I have to do. It's not my own ability or knowledge or will-power that God desires or needs to make this transformational heart change. It's actually less. It's availability. And that can be done when I just slow down and realize that my life and my lists really aren't that important. But knowing my Savior certainly is.

"Be Still and know that I am God; I will be exalted
among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." -Psalm 46:10

To help me be more still and slow down to avoid spiritual distractions this Lenten season, I'm giving up speeding. Weird, right? But it makes sense. Speeding just incites a spirit of hurriedness. Which leads to feeling like I always need to be going somewhere to do something. Which leads to this incessantly distracted, busy, and spiritually thirsty girl.

I'm also going to be learning and studying from a beautiful example in the Bible: Mary and Martha, in "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World." One woman who was distracted, over-worked, and frustrated. One, who was still, quiet, and available. And through this study, I hope to better understand how I can sit at my Savior's feet while still accomplishing the tasks that need to be done. How to be devoted in worship before accomplishing my work and service. How to have the "better life" that Jesus tells Martha about.

God just asks for my availability. He will do the rest and be exalted through me and my work. What peace and comfort Psalm 46:10 brings to this busy and striving young lady!