Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Live for God

Lately I’ve been thinking about what it means to live 100% for God. The Bible says that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will have salvation (Romans 10:9). But, confessing that Jesus is Lord is more than just speaking it. The word “lord” in a feudal society meant the one who provided for and protected his people. Those living under feudalism were expected to work for their lord (i.e. be in the military or manage the land), because without him, they would have nothing. The people completely depended on their lord.

In fact, even Satan has said that Jesus is Lord (Luke 4) and he fell from Heaven (Luke 10:18). To confirm this, the Bible says in Matthew 7:21, “Not everyone who cries out Lord, Lord, shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” So, confessing that Jesus is Lord is more than speaking – it is completely depending on and completely living for our God.

I can think of maybe 2 people that model what living 100% for God means. TWO people! And I am not one of them. It literally makes me sick to think that God’s own children are making excuses about their love for Him. I know tons of people – good people - that believe in God and follow Romans 10:9 – but they don’t live for God. They don’t eat, pray, walk, sleep, and work for God. God has told us that He’d rather us be hot or cold, but because we are lukewarm, he would rather spew us from his mouth (Revelations 3:15-16). He would rather vomit than have us live the way we live – half-hearted, only 60-70% living for Him.

The Bible says to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), praise Him from sunrise to sunset (Psalm 113:3), worship Him continually (Psalm 34:1). It says, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 10:31). Again, it says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as if working for the Lord, not for men” (Colossians 3:23). Make your bed for God. Study for your exam for God. Brush your teeth and praise God. Cook dinner, grocery shop, wash clothes, walk to the car as an offering to God. This isn’t a pray in the shower, pray before bed, sing praise songs in the car kind of relationship – it is a button your shirt, tie your shoe, and sneeze for God kind of relationship. Everything is about Him. Nothing is about us. It is ALL ABOUT HIM. That is how I think God wants us to be living – 100%, all the time, for Him.

I want to be like this. I want to do this. I want to be on fire for God ALL the time – every single second of every single day. Every breath that I breathe and every blink that I have – ALL THE TIME – 100%. I started by making my bed for God this morning. And now I told you, so I can’t change my mind.
laura ann

1 comment:

Patrice said...

Loved this, Laura. I completely agree with you and am in the same boat. Glad God's smacking us upside the head together. (The word verification for this comment is "Cubang". Doesn't that just seem like the sound for God smacking us upside the head?) Love you!