“I know, LORD, that our lives are not our own.
We are not able to plan our own course.”
(Jeremiah 10:23NLT)
We are not able to plan our own course.”
(Jeremiah 10:23NLT)
Her respond to my marriage proposal:
Dear Richard,
I would love to marry you. It’s a dream come true. You’re my dream husband, oh yes baby! But there are a few things that I want to say to you, though.
I have a couple of boyfriends – well, five to be exact. Most of them don’t mean much to me, just boyfriends and nothing more… but can I keep Abang and Farizan? I just sms and call them when I’m lonely once in a while. I hope you don’t mind. I’m so happy! I must be in love that I’m willing to give up so many of my boyfriends just for you. My mom says you’re a lucky man!
I have a couple of boyfriends – well, five to be exact. Most of them don’t mean much to me, just boyfriends and nothing more… but can I keep Abang and Farizan? I just sms and call them when I’m lonely once in a while. I hope you don’t mind. I’m so happy! I must be in love that I’m willing to give up so many of my boyfriends just for you. My mom says you’re a lucky man!
There’s one other thing, can I stay with my family? I love them so much and they are getting older now. They have done so much for me that I couldn’t dream of leaving them. You wouldn’t mind don’t you? Hey, you can visit me whenever you want. I’m sure you’ll understand.
Till then, I meet you again Richard. I look forward for our wedding day!
With undying love and full devotion,
Love
If I had received this kind of reply from Love to my marriage proposal, I would not (definitely) marry her. I don’t think any of us, in our right mind, would! When we ask our love one to marry us, we expect that they would lay aside all others for us, and we would do likewise. “That is what marriage is about”, writes Floyd McClung, “committing ourselves wholeheartedly to the other person. We would feel cheated if our partner suggested any other kind of relationship”.
But sad to say, we do the same thing with God, only this time – it’s a God-size divided heart. We surrendered our life to the Lord, but not fully everything. How then does God feel when we say, “Lord, I love you so much that I’m going to give up everything in my life except ……” You name it. Could it be your job? Your businesses? Spouse? Family? Friends? Money? Church? Or whatever else is important? There is one theme that you will see repeated over and over again in the Scripture that is the extreme importance that each and every Christian turns their entire lives over to God for Him to fully handle.
You have made Jesus your Savior. However, there is now one more big thing you must do. You must now make Jesus the Lord over your life. Jesus must now become both your Lord and Savior, not just your Savior.
Question: What competes with the Lord for your royalty?
THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.
What compete with God for my loyalty towards Him is myself. I want to go to church but I didn't go bcos I blieve that I need a good resting day on Sunday.
ReplyDeleteI want to pray but I'm so tired that everyday after work, I barely spend my time thanking God for a beautiful day He blessed...For giving me everything to smile for, laugh for,cry for, love for, most of all, for always breath a life to me everytime i Have problems. I realized I only touch my bible n pray when I' in blue. For that, I'm sorry. And How I wish I am not the same every day coming in the morning but I can't change for God because I do everything for my parents. I work bcos of em...i sacrifced my dream n hope for them But I miss God, i miss going to church, i miss the tme i get to spend with Him alone. I MISS GOD so much.
Hi dear anonymous,
DeleteIt’s a good sign that you realized how much you ‘miss’ God in this regard. Now, translate that ‘miss’ to ‘want’. God is actively pursuit His people – that’s grace; men ought to pursuit after God – that’s wanting His grace. Until you realize, really realize that nothing compare to God and everything else is ‘garbage’ in comparison with Christ, you’ll set your eyes on Him alone. You would ‘want’ Him (actively pursuit Him) rather than just ‘miss’ Him (passively static toward Him). When you do that; your attitude, view toward Church attendance, Bible readings, praying etc. will no more become legalistic – it’s a joy. No more crawling yourself to Church, but you can’t wait to go to church (simply because God’s presence is there mightily when people come together to worship Him), no more dry-legalistic Bible reading and prayer but joyful pursuit of God’s Voice and listening to Him for life.
When you treasured God, want Him – work is no more viewed for others or in your case, your parents; it is for God’s Glory. You’re obeying your parents because that’s what God required for you to do: obey Him by obeying your parents.
Now, stop making excuses such as busy or don’t have time… we all have 24 hours, nothing more nothing less. Set time for Him. Want Him. Read, study and meditate on His Word. Record His promises, treasure His encouragements, joyful in His Power and Majesty, be humble when He teach and correct your wronged… Be fearful in reverence toward Him for He is King. But also be spontaneous and simple in front of Him for He is your Friend.
Want God! :)