Am I Living Surrendered, Giving My All?

The last few months, I haven't just read the passages for my devotions, I listen while reading, and often I find it helps me to absorb a bit more of the content.

A couple of days ago, the passage in Mark 12: 42-44 that speaks of the widow's offering. Here is the passage:

"Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on." (NLT)

"She has given everything she had to live on"... that line hit me. In the NKJV it says, "But she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood." Then the MSG says, "She gave extravagantly what she couldn't afford- she gave her all."

She gave her all...

(Photo taken from Pinterest)

I know that living for the Lord means that there will be changes. There will be things to let go of, there are things to lay down, and changes will come. Right?!

2 Corinthians 5: 17 "Now, if anyone is enfolded into Christ, he has become an entirely new person. All that is related to the old order has vanished. Behold, everything is fresh and new." (TPT)  That line in the NIV says, "The old has gone, the new is here!"

But while the old is gone and the new is here, some changes are more gradual. The gradual changes can be slow enough that I don't fully realize all that is different. In the daily walk, and relationship with the Lord, I realize that some things are not as important as they once were, and it is worth letting go - or giving up- some things as I grow closer. 

The widow gave everything... her all. 2 Corinthians 9:7 says this, "You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. "For God loves a person who gives cheerfully"." (NLT)

It was the widow's decision to give it all. 

In my life there have been times when I know there was something I needed to change. An action that I either needed to do, or stop doing; or something I needed to give up. Honestly, I am not always happy with change, sometimes. Some change is a bit easier than other change is to handle. Walking through the changes that He is leading me to are all for my good. I know this, because He is good. 

Reading the first passage, makes me think of the hymn "I Surrender All". 

"All to Jesus, I surrender, all to Him I freely give, I will ever love and trust Him, in His presence daily live. I surrender all! I surrender all! All to Thee my blessed Savior, I surrender all!" written by Judson W. Van DeVinter (https://hymnary.org/text/all_to_jesus_i_surrender) 

(Photo found on Google.com

In thinking about the commentary about the widow, I have searched my heart, asking if I am holding back on something that I know I need to do, or to change... 

Have I surrendered all, like the widow, have I given everything?

When I think of the changes, the sacrifice is sometimes felt very deeply. It is akin to putting part of me on the altar. Yes, like the altars spoken of in the Old Testament stories... stones, wood, flesh/meat, and fire... 

Now for the "humor" of it... I was looking at some reels earlier this week, and came across a video of babies dancing to a song, and a line of the song caught my attention. Who doesn't love to watch babies dance, right? I know I do, it just brings a huge smile to my face. But when I heard the line in this song, it brought the story of the widow to my mind, and then I saw a bonfire, and more logs being thrown on it... 

What song was in the video, you ask?? I am so glad you did! =) 

Iko Iko  - by Justin Wellington. The part that caught my attention says this, "My bestie, and your bestie, sit down by di fire. My bestie say she wan' party, so can we make these flames go higher." 

When I heard that line I almost laughed as I saw the story of the widow giving it all, Abraham being willing to sacrifice Isaac, and then Elijah on Mt. Caramel. We have the picture there of the false prophets doing all they can do to get the attention of their god; all to no avail. When it was Elijah's turn, he built the altar, and then drenched the altar, wood, and sacrifice with water. Elijah prayed, and the Lord answered with fire that ate up all the sacrifice, the altar, and licked up all the water in the trench around the altar! 

(Photo from iStock.com)

What a picture!! 

As I surrender to the Lord, as I lay it on the altar, my God is a consuming fire!! He burns away what is no longer needed. 

Father,

As I walk through this life, and am growing in my walk with you, closer to you, help me to lay down and surrender all that is not good, or that is not needed in my life. Help me to remember what changes I am encouraged to make are for my good. Help me as I let it go to leave it on the altar, to be fully surrendered to you. Thank you for stirring up the fire, and burning away the dross in my heart and life. Thank you for helping me along each day to walk more closely to you. Help me to give everything, and to spend it all in my life with you!

Thank you!

Is My Faith Contagious?

I read this recently, and I keep thinking back to it, so I wanted to think it through some.  

"We’ve been told the mustard seed verse means “even a tiny bit of faith is enough.”
But that’s not what Jesus actually was saying.

He said faith AS a mustard seed. KJV

And in His day, the mustard seed wasn’t seen as something delicate or small. It was an invasive plant that took over entire fields, choked out every other plant, and was impossible to remove.

That’s the kind of faith He was describing the disciples needed to have in Matt 17:20
Unstoppable. Unshakable. Outrageous.
The kind of faith that spreads until it overtakes fear, doubt, lies, and every man made system 🔥 

This meaning changes everything at least for me!
 Faith isn’t fragile. It isn’t “just a little.”
It’s meant to be so rooted and forceful that it looks crazy to the world, yet nothing can stop it in the Kingdom.

Learning the real meaning of this verse after years of never understanding it really blew my mind

So now knowing this, the real question is, is your faith as strong and rooted as a mustard seed!?"

I've been guilty of quoting it as it is in different translations, but the KJV, NKJV,  & ESV all say it like it is written above. Some translations are word for word, and others tried to translate the thought process. 

I have thought of, and read this passage many years, and felt challenged that I need my faith to grow. Which is true, but I also felt that my faith must be microscopic, since a mustard seed is to tiny. Which made me think occasionally, that I hadn't used it enough that it would grow.  

One thing that is true, is that the tiny mustard seed grows into a large tree, or at least it did in the times that Jesus spoke of it.  

(Photo of Mustard Tree taken from https://lessonsfromthegoalpost.com/2020/10/21/mustard-seed-opportunities/)

So, the seed, and the growth process described above, got my thoughts going. I looked up some information to see what I could find. 

Some of the characteristics of mustard as it grows are as follows:

1- One of the smallest seeds that grows into a large shrub or tree.

2- Mustard seeds are known to grow in unfavorable conditions like poor soil and adverse weather.

3- It can grow large enough to be a shelter for birds, and even provide shade for people.

Romans 12: 3 says, "For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith." - NKJV

I referred above to the underlined portion of this verse. God has dealt a measure of faith to each one. The word "measure" means a specific portion; and each one, means just what we think it does. 

I was given "a measure" of faith, that is the seed, it has the potential to grow large. It grows in unfavorable conditions. What can be related to the "poor soil and adverse weather conditions"? The difficult times, the trials, and attacks that I've been through, could be considered "adverse" conditions. 

These difficult times that I have been through make for wonderful growing conditions for my faith, even though they are not conditions that I would like to experience.

All problems can either take me deeper into His arms, knowing that He never changes. His character is that He is Good and He is Faithful. He is always with me!

Is my faith growing and it is contagious? I love the above description of mustard growth characteristics that got me thinking down this trail. 

"...mustard seed wasn’t seen as something delicate or small. It was an invasive plant that took over entire fields, choked out every other plant, and was impossible to remove."

It makes me think, self examination type of thinking. Is my faith invasive? Does it take over? Will it choke out the fears and the challenges to my faith? Is it impossible to remove?

How often do I let the difficulties I face take my eyes off the One that can help? How often to I let them distract me?? 

This week, I was told by someone that they had a dream and in it they saw me worshipping the Lord in dance, and it encouraged them to do the same thing. And then to add some humor to all of this, I woke up this morning to the song Locomotion, that was released in the early 70's. It is still a fun dance selection at parties and wedding receptions. =)  I can't say I've done the dance, but according to the lyrics, it's easy. LOL I felt like the key take away from waking up to this one, is it is a song that is recognizable. It is a song that a lot of people know the dance steps, and it's contagious! Not only contagious, people dancing it, encourage others to join in the dance! 

(Photo copied from https://share.google/images/Yly8Zf5MRKGyxUtpd)

So with my faith, and with my praise/worship- Am I contagious? Does my life of faith and worship cause others to want to join in?? I hope so!

Lord, I am humbled as I examine my heart and feel that I find myself lacking. Forgive me for the lack of faith and the times I have complained when I should have praised you. Forgive me for taking my eyes off of You, making the challenges or difficulties bigger in my eyes than I should. 

I choose to worship. I choose to believe. I love You and thank you for who You are to me, in my life. Thank you for always being here. Thank you for Your faithfulness, and Your goodness to me. Thank you for your love and your grace! 

Help my faith and my worship to be contagious!

Thank you, Lord!

Amen