There's a phrase that's been circulating our church for several years now, "Jesus gets it all." I think I first heard it from Pastor Nate during community group a couple years back, and gradually it's become common wordage amongst the staff and even the congregation. It calls to mind some of the words of one of my favorite hymns, "Jesus paid it all, all to him owe." Were these just words, I'd shrug them off as another saying we use to distinguish ourselves as believers and followers of Jesus; however, I'm seeing these words not just spoken, but lived out.
The more I meditate on the idea that Jesus does get it all, the less I see I have truly given over. If Jesus paid it all, then yearly donations of clothing to Goodwill, short-term missions trips, and donations to crisis relief efforts are not only inadequate responses but potentially inappropriate as well. When I think "All", weekly community group meetings, weekly tithing to the church, and Sunday-centric worship are not enough. Daily devotions, nightly prayers with Daniel, and faith-oriented blog posts don't suffice.
Giving it all to Jesus involves analyzing every aspect of my life in light of the Cross and relinquishing my rights of ownership, comfort and control so that God's glory might be revealed. Were this to preempt the gospel's transforming work on my heart, I would enslave myself to morality. Yet when this is my reaction to the gospel, I embark on a journey of unparalleled freedom and genuine, appropriate worship.
These words "Jesus gets it all" have become invasive to my soul - unsettling and threatening to my autonomy, my thought life, my hopes for my children, my bank account, my daily patterns, my relationships with spouse, family and friends. I question something as small as how to school my children, and Jesus reveals that is it not only the physical effects of my choices that matter, but my heart in how I questions my choices, how I view blessings, and the ultimate goals of my decisions. I am reminded over and over that God blesses us to bless other people through us - not so that we might sit in ease pondering how richly we have been blessed.
Joe and I have talked about how we feel compelled to something deeper and more dangerous in living out a life of worship, but nearly equal to that tug on our hearts is our resistance to close the flood gates and just launch out little care packages over our well fortified walls to a dying world. The problem is, the glory of Jesus and the power of the Cross continue to pound on our walls. They interrupt dinner. The chase off sleep. They demand more.
You may not get as many comments on this post.
ReplyDeleteOur home group did a study using Francis Chan's Crazy Love book and study DVD. Please get his book. I'd give you mine, but I already passed it to another friend who was ready. Your heart is ready for it. It will change you.
I was surprised to see how many people in our home group argued that this kind of love... the kind that looks like selling one's home to live in a smaller one so you can give more, or adopting, or moving to another country... was not only crazy, but unnecessary. One guy argued that unless he felt the Holy Spirit telling him to specifically give an amount to a particular person, then giving just for giving's sake would be legalism.
It's amazing how our belongings can take hold of us if we don't continually transform our minds in the Word and in love. And that's why you might not get many comments.
sorry...that last comment was me. didn't know J was signed in. :)
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