. Few things in our lives demand everything we are or have to give, and even those that do rarely actually get it from us. Jesus said, “If you love me, do what I command you to” and then followed that up with “…and this is my command, that you love one another as I have loved you.” He made the ultimate sacrifice for us. We should be learning to make that kind of sacrifice for each other.
. We encourage you to pursue a life where you hold nothing back in your commitment to the kingdom.
. We can look at this in multiple ways. Matt Redman’s song, Gracefully Broken, expresses it well. Give it a listen.
Here I am, God, arms wide open. Pouring out my life, gracefully broken. All to Jesus now. Holding nothing back. I surrender.
. Giving everything up for God to work in and through us is one way to hold nothing back. May God give us the strength, courage and commitment to live life that way! But there is another way to see “hold nothing back” – watch this clip from Monday’s football game:
HOW?!
BEASTMODE carries the WHOLE defense into the end zone! #LARvsOAK #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/KF12UVZ9jQ
— NFL (@NFL) September 11, 2018
. Marshawn Lynch somehow carried most of the LA Rams defense into the end zone. Beastmode (his nickname) was holding nothing back in striving for that goal line.
He poured everything into that run, and it would not have been possible if he had held anything back. Should we offer anything less in our kingdom work?
. Colossians 3 says:
Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
. If slaves of Paul’s day were supposed to put everything they had into their roles, how much more should we, as free people in Christ, throw all of ourselves into our service for him?
. As you live out today, lay everything on the altar, and as God gives it back to you, pour it all into service for him!