Friday, December 21, 2012

You Deserve My Best; God Gets My All

Good Friday morning! The Christmas holiday is upon us as I'm sure many will take Monday off as well and leave for their holiday break today. I hear the DJ on the radio saying much the same thing just now, so I may not be completely off my rocker in this matter. Of course, anytime that happens there is at least a small chance that I have only confirmed that two of us are out of whack. I pray that you have a merry Christmas and a wonderful holiday from work!

I always want to do my best writing for you, but does not God deserve my best as well? Certainly I try to do my best for God, but actually He gets my all. Jesus didn't die on the cross just for that time I did well in that one task. You know, that good memory I recall so fondly? Yes, God gets that too, but He owns everything of me now. The time I said the wrong thing to that person over there. The times I did the wrong thing and sinned against another (and always against God). Those times belong to God too. My best efforts belong to God, but also my weakest and whiniest efforts too. Some sacrifices God accepts, others, well... those might go into the 'needs more work' file. Growth kind of goes with the Christian condition. We are reborn at whatever age, and then God's Holy Spirit goes to work on us.

My best, your best, all of our 'bests' put together cannot save us, but God deserves our all and indeed owns our all when we are born again. Over time, some of those things that cause us guilt and shame will be taken away as their purpose is served. The last of these may not be taken until we arrive at the gates of Heaven, and there is a good chance that one of these is the one you or I would most like God to take right now. Paul tried it three times, but God said "No". A thorn essential to our sanctification may be a thing that has bothered and irritated since childhood. God owns it now. Trust in Him to use it to fulfill His holy purpose.

Have a wonderful Christmas in Christ!
Bucky

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