Christian Living

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This morning I posted:

"This week I have been taking a trip down "memory lane" with the Lord. It has been like looking through a scrapbook of my walk with Him. People; places; and experiences. This morning, He began explain to me that He was showing ME my "resume!" What He has trained and equipped me for in the past. Very humbling! Something's coming! The answer is "Yes, Lord." Sight unseen; I am committed! "I CAN do all things through Christ, which strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13.)"

Then my mind was flooded with thoughts and questions concerning what the word "commitment" really means.

(Side bar: I have an copy of "The American Dictionary of the English Language" by Noah Webster; originally published in 1828. Did you know that newer publications of dictionaries have changed the original meaning of a lot of words? As the years go by, they compromise some of the definitions so that they are more "acceptable." They have broadened some of the definitions to "water down" the impact, and so they will conform to, and even justify things that are going on in the world today. This one does not! And, so many of the definitions refer to scripture when defining a word. I know God made this book available to me...I "stumbled" onto it! [Also "stumbled" onto a book, about 25 years ago, written in 1668 on a subject God has had me studying for about 28 years. How amazing is that?] What do you think, stumbled onto...or led to?)

Back on point...I love words and use my dictionary so much, so that I don't "assume" what those words mean. I decided to look up a few that were lining up in my head:

1. commit - to give in trust; to put into the hands, or power of another; with to; Commit thy way to the Lord. Ps. xxxvii (Copied exactly from this dictionary.)

2. real - actually being or existing; not ficticious or imaginary; true; genuine; not artificial, counterfeit, or factitious
(different than fictitious;factitious means created by man, and not from nature. Could that mean born of the flesh and not the spirit?)

3. imagine; imagined - to form an idea or notion in the mind; formed in the mind; fancied; contrived.

All of these definitions really helped me to understand how important it is to really examine what a commitment to walk with God really means. Is it real? Or just imagined? Is it truly made from the heart (spirit) or just from a decision made, casually, because it looked like the right thing to do? These are tough questions?

If the decision to commit our life to God was made "casually" or as the proverbial "lip service," or put on to give the appearance of godliness, it will never hold up and keep us in the tough times. And as we all know...there have been tough times...and will be. Jesus did not say, "take up your party hats and follow me!" My Bible says "take up your cross and follow Me!" (Matthew 16:24)

That tells me that there are going to be times of struggle, discomfort, and even pain. Not everything is going to be fun, make us happy, be easy, or even hinge on our agreement to allow God to do what He deems necessary along the way. He does, however, promise us that He will go with us through it, and that "all things work together for good, to those that love God, and are called, according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28.)

Our joy is based not on our comfort, nor is it based on the condition of our present circumstances. It is based, rooted and grounded, in the knowledge of His love for us and our love for Him. He has made a commitment to us and we have made, with His help, one to Him. And that has brought forth the JOY OF THE LORD, and that is our strength! And that's good enough for me! What more could we ask for?

Commit, once again, means: to give in trust; to put into the hands, or power of another! I have committed, (delivered in trust; given in charge) my life to an amazing God. It's His to do in, and to do with, whatever pleases Him. I will not take it back...and I will not turn back. Amen! (and that means "So be it!")

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