Commitments

Our family loves the PBS television show Arthur.  It's just a classic!  The show has been around for a long time, has  great story lines and memorable episodes (DW's snowball for instance).  Perhaps it's "The Brady Bunch" for my kid's generation?  Anyway, our youngest was watching the one about having a TV free week.  After the characters had a big school assembly promoting TV free week, and were promised a prize and signed their names, one character had a melt-down because he didn't realize that he was actually committed to not watch television! 

I wonder sometimes how often we forget our commitments and promises.  Big and small.  We forget appointments, we forget our diets or exercise, sometimes we forget our wedding vows and sometimes we forget the day we became a Christian.  We're excited in the beginning, lots of attention, we get caught up in that.  With marriage, there is the wedding planning, the dress, reception, honeymoon, first home, etc.  After the party is over, we have a marriage that needs more work than the wedding ever did.  Even with becoming a parent, there is so much hoopla that it's easy to get caught up in that, but then the sleepless nights come, or the colicy baby.  We get excited about a special deal at the gym, but then comes the fact that we have to go and do the workout. 

Joshua told the Israelites in Joshua 24:15 to "choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve ... but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."  The Israelite people in the very next verse said "Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods." but it didn't take very long for them to forget that commitment. 

Daniel purposed in his heart (Daniel 1:8) to not defile himself.  Though faced with favor, fine food and drink, power and probably much more, Daniel is shown to have remained strong in that commitment.  In the book of Joel, the Lord said to His people "Turn to Me with all your heart.  Rend your heart, and not your garments"  (Joel 2:12-13).  God wants our commitment.   He wants all of us, not an outward show, but every ounce of us.

Jesus warned that "no one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."  (Luke 9:62).  That looking back is showing a desire for the old life.  Perhaps we're looking back towards those single days or the days when there were no children, or even the days when we could eat whatever we wanted and not gain an ounce.  Earlier in Luke 9:23, Jesus says that we are to deny ourselves and take up our cross daily, following Christ.  This is that daily commitment.  Before our feet hit the floor in the morning, we are commited to live Christ-like, we are commited to our husbands and children. 

What pulls you from your commitments? For the character in the Arthur cartoon, it was the fact that he was going to miss a brand new Bionic Bunny show on television. For some it might be the lure of chocolate cake, or perhaps a flattering tongue of a coworker or the advice of someone that the children will be fine without your daily influence. 

Our eyes must remain on the goal.  For the characters in Arthur, it was a gold medal, shaped like a television.  I have a goal poster hanging on my office wall of things I would like to accomplish in the next few months and year.  Goals for our family may be short term such as paying off debt, getting good grades, etc.  As a Christian, our focus is to "press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 3:14.  True success (as said by Glenn & Cindy Colley) is living our lives and going to heaven. 


What pulls you from your goal?  For the character in the Arthur cartoon, it was the fact that he was going to miss a brand new Bionic Bunny show on television.  For some it might be the lure of chocolate cake, or perhaps a flattering tongue of a coworker or the advice of someone that the children will be fine without your daily influence. 

Colossians 3:23 reminds us "whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men."  Whatever actions were are doing in our lives needs to show our love, our fear, our respect and our service to God.  Our daily actions with our husband, children, friends, strangers, show our commitment as a Christian, wife, mother. 

The eternal commitment Christ made for us is found in Romans 8:38-39.  "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things presnet nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."    Hebrews 13:5-6 "For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."  So we may boldly say:  "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear.  What can man do to me?"

Jesus is not going to back out of His commitment.  Are we?

Doing the "hard" things ...

Wow, it's been a while since I've blogged! Life's been busy, and I had a nasty bug not once, but twice! But, I'm back :)

I often come upon devotional ideas or an idea for writing an article by hearing or reading something that sticks with me. I’ll often toss around something said or a scripture for quite a while before I can move on to the next thing! I’m sure many of us are like that as well. In reading the book of Titus, I came upon a verse that really made me think! 

I’m not going to tell you what it is just yet. I’ll get there in a minute.

Psalm 37:3

    Trust in the Lord, and do good;

Isaiah 1:17

    Learn to do good;

Hebrews 13:16

  But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. 

1 Peter 3:17

  For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

2 Thessalonians 3:13

  But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.

Galatians 6:9

   And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 


We can see in these verses that we are to do good, we are to learn to do good and that we’re not to grow weary of doing good. So here’s my first question of the day! 


What have you done this week that could be considered GOOD?

Okay – now some more verses …

Luke 6:33

    And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
 
Galatians 6:9 & 10

   And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Hmmm, so it’s not just enough to do good to those who do good to you … and we’re especially supposed to do good to our fellow Christians.

So, here’s another question for you …

What good thing have you done this week, specifically for another Christian?
Here’s some more food for thought …

John 15:12

  This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

John 13:34-35

    A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. [35] By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

1 John 4:7

    Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

Okay – now for that verse in Titus that has stuck in my mind!

Titus 2:15

   Speak these things, exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you. 

Okay, let’s talk this through. I’m supposed to be doing good – to all people, but especially to my fellow Christians. I’m also supposed to love – especially my fellow Christians. I’m supposed to speak, exhort & rebuke AND let no one despise me? 

But what if I do all of these things? What if I’m doing good, loving as I should, and someone still despises me? What if I’m doing good, loving as I should, and a fellow Christian despises me? I know that I have fellow Christians who despise me … do you? Isn’t this sad?

Luke 6:35

    But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.

Matthew 5:44 

    But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.

We don't like the idea of someone not liking us, but we can't control them. We can control ourselves, and our responses to them.  If we are focusing on the golden rule and our behaviors we can learn to do all of these things commanded of us. 

I want each of us to consider these scriptures this coming week. Study them and apply them to our lives. Make the changes necessary and be going about doing good to all but especially to our brother’s & sisters in Christ. Let’s show our love to everyone, but especially to our brother’s & sisters in Christ. Let’s be the church Christ wants us to be.