This morning I’ve been fighting my flesh into submission. I need to go do this volunteer project that I’ve promised myself I will do. It’s for the kingdom. It’s got to be Gods will. And I got all the way there and had to leave because of a kid emergency. Why does that happen God? Was it the enemy coming against me? And He answered.
“I don’t need you to make your future happen. I have it planned out perfectly for you. I don’t want legalistic worship or scheduled visits. I want your time and your love and your relationship because it’s what you want. Don’t you want me? Well I am with you wherever you are! I am with you at home and on the go. I am with you at church and volunteer but also on the lake and camping at on roller coasters. I’m with you because I love you and you are with me because you love me. Now stop Sharon. Stop thinking I need a performance. I want you to volunteer because you want to. If you don’t want to, don’t. I give you what you need. I will provide the missions when the time is right. It’s not now. But this was given as hope for your future. I do have hope for you dear one. I have a plan for your future and you don’t need to make it happen by being a good little Christian who shows up and does tasks. Accomplishing things is the things of this world. I was with my son in the quiet moments and he often went away to have those with me. I am with you in your quiet moments too. Enjoy them. Don’t squander them.
Don’t waste your time thinking you must do a task to keep me close. Here I am. I am right here. Closer then you know. With you. In you. Around you. You are in me. You are safe and close to me. You don’t need to do, to be with me. Stop imposing rules on yourself that I have not imposed onto you. Go when you feel led to. Not when you are begging not to. I’m not interested in seeing your strong will take control of your flesh. I am interested in seeing my kind and gentle will being followed because of your great love for me.“
God has called me to step into this volunteer position, but He wants a willing heart. This is like tithing or worship. He is giving me the opportunity to show Him how much I love Him by doing something in His kingdom. So when my attitude is to do it grudgingly and with a lot of complaint and arguing, it’s not a blessing to Him and it defeats the purpose. What parent says to their child “I would love for you to clean your room!” And isn’t so pleased when their child happily leaps to please their parent? What parent isn’t sorely disappointed when their child’s response is “Oh man! I had other plans today!” And sulks off to obedience. God wants me and us to choose to do the things He has given us to do because we love Him and want to show Him our love. Not because we have to, feel obligated, and are “being obedient”. Just like a parent, He doesn’t need us to do those things He’s asked us to do. He is fully capable without us. He asks us because He is showing us how we can love Him and also giving us opportunity for blessing. A parent would so quickly take their child up in their arms and say thank you and cover their sweet cheeks with kisses for a job done (well or not), because the child showed their love in the way the parent requested. God wants to shower us too with His kisses but we make it so hard with our complaints and groans.
Philippians 2:1-4, 12-16 MSG
“If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care—then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand...
What I’m getting at, friends, is that you should simply keep on doing what you’ve done from the beginning. When I was living among you, you lived in responsive obedience. Now that I’m separated from you, keep it up. Better yet, redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God’s energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure.
Do everything readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night so I’ll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns. You’ll be living proof that I didn’t go to all this work for nothing.”
God help me to do what You call me to do because I love you. Not because I am going to be blessed or for an advantage to myself. Not out of obligation or with no enthusiasm. Thank you for reminding me that I want to do what you call me to, because I love you. I don’t want to have a bad attitude and say yes with no heart for You. I love you. I want to show you that.
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