Contributor: Annie
What does commitment mean? To what are we committed? How far does our commitment to Christ impact our daily life? Do you challenge yourself with questions like these, or do they fall into the too hard basket?
Here are two definitions of the word commitment: 1. the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc 2. an engagement or obligation that restricts freedom of action.
The first definition sounds wonderful; it’s noble, aspirational and not too unachievable. The second, however, implies much harder work, as well as having consequences that are not that inviting to our independent minds. We hear the announcement “I’ve committed my life to Christ” and think it’s great, another soul walking in the Kingdom of God instead of darkness, which, of course, it is. But this is just the beginning of a road that is never promised to be smooth and untroubled, in fact it is just the opposite. Jesus tells us in John 16:33 “in the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world”. If we are truly committed (or dedicated) to Christ, then, on this journey, our freedom of independent action is going to be very severely restricted.
When we respond to the call of God in our lives, we begin a journey that will often lead us to places we would rather not visit, except that it is God who is guiding and directing our path so, what do we do. If we are serious about answering God’s call, then we will learn to surrender, we will, to coin a phrase, put our money where our mouth is. In Luke 9:57-62 Jesus talked about the cost of being a disciple of His. He pointed out that He had no earthly home to call His own; that family ties have to take a lower place than our obedience to God; He warned that even looking back once we have put our hands to the plough makes us unfit for the Kingdom of God.
What then is the motivation for us to keep going, to fully commit to a life surrendered to Christ? Simply this, that the God of creation loves us with an intensity and fervour that is beyond our understanding. That our reward is to live for all of eternity in the light of His Love, in the joy of His presence, in the richness of His treasures.
Prayer: Thank You Father God for laying down Your life so that we may live forever with and in You…
Scriptures Matthew 6:19-24 19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
Matthew 9:24-26 24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?