My Utmost - Sept 24, 2009

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The “Go” Of Preparation

Matthew 5:23-24
“Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there thou rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”

Key Passages

• It is easy to imagine that we will get to a place where we are complete and ready, but preparation is not suddenly accomplished, it is a process steadily maintained.

• “First be reconciled to your brother.” The “go” of preparation is to let the word of God scrutinize. The sense of heroic sacrifice is not good enough. The thing the Holy Spirit is detecting in you is the disposition that will never work in His service.

• Are you willing to obey your Lord and Master whatever the humiliation to your right to yourself may be?

• Never discard a conviction.

• You were looking for a great thing to give up. God is telling you of some tiny thing; but at the back of it there lies the central citadel of obstinacy: I will not give up my right to myself – the thing God intends you to give up if ever you are going to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.

My Own Thoughts

So many places this applies in life. In my marriage its an obvious application. I come to God all the time in prayer and instantly remember some scuffle the wife and I may have just had. We come to it together when we pray together. We usually spend time praying together in the van on the way to work. However, the mornings are usually crazy and hectic getting three kids together for school or ready for daycare. Needless to say, some mornings we get “tense” with each other. That makes for a rough prayer time really. How can we expect to truly connect with God in prayer when we can connect to each other and forgive each other for whatever has come to pass that morning? Or how can we go to prayer together when we are both at our wits ends with the kids? Can we come to our Lord while we are angry with each other or others? “The sense of heroic sacrifice is not good enough.” That line couldn't be more true. I get grandiose visions of being some sort of heroic sacrificial Christian man, but I can't even make simple sacrifice for my family, those closest to me whom I love.

I am as obstinate as any. I get big ideas about how I could be an amazing servant for God, but my follow through is weak because I am at some very deeply rooted level, unwilling to give up my handle on myself, my way, my plans.

Dear Father, I praise you for being a God who loves those undeserving of love. I pray that your will be done in my life, my marriage, in my kids lives and that you'd use me in whatever way you see fit. Provide for us only as you see that we need on any given day. Forgive me Father for my selfishness and unwillingness to let your Spirit have complete control. Lead me Father into the way that you would have me follow, and not the way that I would choose for myself.