“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” —John 13:14
Having a conversation with our, then, 16 year old granddaughter about our leaving Alabama to go to Texas to serve God and others, she asked why we decided to go to Texas. It made me realize that people looking in from the outside, the appearance is that we have decided to do something different with our lives. Actually, it was not our decision. I explained to her about how God speaks to His children and the responsibility we have to obey His voice. (John 14:15) “If you love me [Jesus], you will obey my commandments.” Seems simple doesn’t it? But when faced with the resistance of the flesh, it may seem simple but it is not necessarily easy. The natural battling against the supernatural. That is why there is such an emphasis in the New Testament to crucify the flesh and submit to the Spirit. The life Jesus showed us is polar opposite to the world’s convention. The first will be last. If you want to be great, be a servant. Love yourself last. There is no greater demonstration of love than to lay your own life down. I recall a friend talking to me about what Martie and I would do have leaving Mississippi following 5 years of disaster relief work. I told him that we were going to Haiti. He got close to me, looked in my eyes and asked, “Are you crazy?!?” To which I replied, “It is not my idea, it is God’s calling.”
We just celebrated Thanksgiving with our daughters. As we sat around the table, I was reminded of how many Thanksgivings we had not been able to do that. Something so simple and so common in this country. It reminded me of what it means to lay your life down. I am not wanting you to marvel at Martie and me – I just want to let you know that serving comes with a cost. King David said that he would not offer something to God that did not cost him something. A sacrifice is not a sacrifice if there is no personal cost. We do not regret our decision to follow God, but it does not mean that we loved or missed our family any less.
Following the leading of God very often makes no sense to the natural man. Even to many Christians. And with respect to Christians, reading about faith and exercising faith are two, totally different things. Many are content to leave faith in the theoretical. Sure we can pray when we or someone else is sick or has a great need. But c’mon! God would not ask us to do something contrary to what we know is wise in the eyes of the world, would He? I mean that can’t be God can it? What about retirement? What about a place to live when you are old? What about …. What about ???? (Luke 9:23) “And he [Jesus] said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (1 John 2:15) “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” What do you trust in? You will love –be devoted to – allow to control your choices – the things you trust in. (Romans 12:1,2) “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone
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