One of our pastor’s shared this devotion in one of our staff meetings recently. The title I give it is not the same as the title in My Utmost. But I think I prefer this title because it sticks out to me more than anything. Let me explain. In the beginning of the devotional it says:
“as long as you think that you are of value to Him He cannot choose you, because you have purposes of your own to serve. But if you will allow Him to take you to the end of your self-sufficiency, then He can choose you to go with Him ‘to Jerusalem.’” (Luke 18:31)
Then he goes on to say that basically what makes a good Christian “is not a matter of our equipment, but a matter of our poverty; not of what we bring with us, but of what God puts in us; not a matter of natural virtues, of strength of character, of knowledge, or of experience-all of that is of no avail in this concern.”
I have to admit that too often I get caught up in thinking that it is about what I bring to the table as a servant of the Lord. This is where our faith differs with eastern religions in which emptying of self is important. ( I believe I got this thought from Richard Foster in his amazing book, “Celebration of Discipline.”) The difference in our faith is we practice spiritual disciplines, particularly meditation, in order to “empty” ourselves only to be filled by His will and purpose. I have to be about “crucifixion of self” because it is no longer I who live but rather Christ who lives in me. (Galatians 2:20) I and we have to leave everything that we think we bring to the table for god behind at the altar. Our gifts, talents, strengths, plans, will, purposes, and personalities have to sacrificed. Continuing on the devotion goes:
The only thing of value is being taken into the compelling purpose of God and being made His friends (see 1 Corinthians 1:26-31). God’s friendship is with people who know their poverty. He can accomplish nothing with the person who thinks that he is of use to God. As Christians we are not here for our own purpose at all-we are here for the purpose of God, and the two are not the same.
I have to ask myself, do I know my poverty? Do you know yours? Do you think that you are of use to God? Do I? Humbling thought, huh? Whatever made us think that God needs us? Satan has also done a number on us to make us believe that life is about our purposes, will, and desire. We have bought the lie and therefore bought bondage. It reminds me of the first line of Rick Warren’s book Purpose Driven Life, “its not about you.” It is too easy to believe that it is about me. As the devotion states, “we are here for the purpose of God.”
Finally, it closes with: “The most important aspect of Christianity is not the work we do, but the relationship we maintain and the surrounding influence and qualities produced by that relationship. That is all God asks us to give our attention to, and it is the one thing that is continually under attack.”
You and I both now the deal but we so often get caught up in pursuing God via the “checklist.” You heard it…its not about the work we do as if we are checking things off of a list but rather the pursuit of a relationship with our Lord and Savior. And that relationship is the one thing under attack. I believe that it was Carl Jung that once said, “busyness is not of the devil, it is the devil.”
If it is any other way other than the pursuit of knowing Jesus my friend, then you have religion, not relationship. And by the way, sounds like bondage to me.
