Read today in My Utmost for His Highest this: "In sanctification, the one who has been born again deliberately gives up his right to himself to Jesus Christ, and identifies himself entirely with God's ministry to others."
Today on facebook, Katie Davis wrote:
my mind is racing today. i do not understand how so many people can proclaim Jesus with their lips and not serve him with their lives. i do not understand how someone can look into the eyes and bandage the wounds of the poorest of the poor, God's heart, and then live their lives unchanged. We wait and wait for God to m......ove, but what if He is waiting on us to take the first step.
Katie is the young woman (20) from Nashville who now lives and serves a group of people who are considered to be of the lowest status in Uganda. She is the foster mom to 13 of the most beautiful girls. Link to kissesfromkatie here
I'm re-reading some sermon notes from Genesis 18, the story where the Lord (manifested as three men) visits Abraham and Sarah at Abraham's tent in the heat of the day. Abraham, who is at least 99 years old, immediately hops up and begs the men to stay so that he can serve them. He calls himself their servant and brings them water, gets Sarah to make "company" bread and runs to his herd and finds a choice, tender calf to prepare for them. He lays out a feast. Not an easy task at that time in the history of the world. Abraham served God immediately and generously and it costs him something. King David said "I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God that which costs me nothing." 2 Samuel24:24
David knew God, God called him a "man after my own heart." Both Abraham and David had experienced God's forgiveness and His love and He changed them from the inside out. So much so that they poured out themselves for others. Willingly and gladly. Countless examples abound of this in the Bible and in our lives here right now in 2010. I want to approach God with open hands and a heart that can willingly sacrifice myself for others. Help me Lord.
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