4.02.2006
Your will...
Your way. Your time. Your will... Not mine. It's really hard to give stuff up sometimes, you know? Why is that? We talk about surrendering all the time. We sing about it, pray about it, learn about it...then why can't we DO it?? It's not like I don't trust God. I do. But there's always the things that we say we're giving up, but if we're honest with ourselves...our hand is gripping it just as tightly as before. Sam talked about some of the stuff I've been thinking about in Wellspring tonight: how we need to be giving everything to God. And in youth group tonight, we started talking about the book of Philippians - how Paul was in chains and how it was okay because the gospel was still being advanced. Not only was it okay, but he rejoiced.
"Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:19-21).
Can I really give up everything? At first, I think we shouldn' t have to. Then I thought about how Paul went through so much more than I have ever gone through or even imagined going through. And then to think of what Christ went through. We talked about that in youth tonight, too - about how Jesus felt doing this. Not the Jesus we always think about, but Jesus the man. As Ty put it so delicately today, "the Jesus who poops; the one who stubs his toe and it hurts; that Jesus." I don't think we realize the intensity of what Christ suffered for us. And then we complain about the troubles in our lives that can seem significant, but they're trivial compared to what Christ went through. So I guess all that to say, Christ gave everything for me...why shouldn't I let Him have control over everything in my life? Maybe because it's hard and I'm stubborn. One other thing Ty said tonight was "I often define love in one word: sacrifice." It is hard to give it all up, and I am stubborn...but I need to learn to sacrifice and conduct myself "in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ." To loosen my grip and let him take control. Your way. Your time. Your will... Not mine, sweet Light; not mine.
"Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:19-21).
Can I really give up everything? At first, I think we shouldn' t have to. Then I thought about how Paul went through so much more than I have ever gone through or even imagined going through. And then to think of what Christ went through. We talked about that in youth tonight, too - about how Jesus felt doing this. Not the Jesus we always think about, but Jesus the man. As Ty put it so delicately today, "the Jesus who poops; the one who stubs his toe and it hurts; that Jesus." I don't think we realize the intensity of what Christ suffered for us. And then we complain about the troubles in our lives that can seem significant, but they're trivial compared to what Christ went through. So I guess all that to say, Christ gave everything for me...why shouldn't I let Him have control over everything in my life? Maybe because it's hard and I'm stubborn. One other thing Ty said tonight was "I often define love in one word: sacrifice." It is hard to give it all up, and I am stubborn...but I need to learn to sacrifice and conduct myself "in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ." To loosen my grip and let him take control. Your way. Your time. Your will... Not mine, sweet Light; not mine.
# posted by Josh @ 9:53 PM 
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