"So here's what I think: The best thing you can do right now is to finish what you started last year and not let those good intentions grow stale. Your heart's been in the right place all along. You've got what it takes to finish it up, so go to it. Once the commitment is clear, you do what you can, not what you can't. The heart regulates the hands. This isn't so others can take it easy while you sweat it out. No, you're shoulder to shoulder with them all the way, your surplus matching their deficit, their surplus matching your deficit. In the end you come out even."---2 Corinthians 8:10-15 (Message)
"Love, like truth and beauty, is concrete. Love is not fundamentally a sweet feeling; not, at heart, a matter of sentiment, attachment, or being 'drawn toward'. Love is active, effective, a matter of making reciprocal and mutually beneficial relation with one's friends and enemies."---Carter Heyward
"A promise must never be broken."---Alexander Hamilton
"Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach."---Tim Robbins
Alright ya'll. Something tells me that this one is going to be a ride, so buckle up!
A couple of weeks ago, I was talking to one of my spiritual mothers about a friend that I have been praying for. After sharing with her the burden on my heart she said, "You need to read 'Redeeming Love' by Francine Rivers." Yet again, this brief exchange is another example of why we cannot allow our egos to close our eyes and ears to wise counsel (and not wise in our estimation, but God's).
Proverbs 19:20 (NKJV) tells us, "Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter days." I didn't know what I was really getting into when I made the $14.99 paperback edition commitment (bookmark that), but if there are two books that have changed my life and perspective on things this year, it has been (and you all should be able to say it with me by now), "Sacred Sex" and "Redeeming Love".
I'm not gonna get super-deep into it, but basically it's a modernized tale (set in California in the 1850s) of Hosea and Gomer except in this novel, Hosea's name is "Michael Hosea" and Gomer's name is "Angel". There are oh so many quotes that I would love to share at this very moment, but the one that I believe applies to this message is, "Love is not a weapon; it's a lifeline." I also want to share an excerpt from the book that I pray will help in illustrating the point that I believe God wants me to make:
Chapter 17 (pgs 212-213)
There was no use in talking to her. She was set on doing penance. "I'm going to go out and walk awhile. Go on to bed."
He went up to the hill and sat, forearms resting on his knees. "So what do I do now?" Nothing was the same as it had been. It was as though they both walked side by side, never touching, never talking. She had cut herself wide open and poured her insides out to him the night he brought her home. Now she lay bleeding to death and wouldn't allow the healing to come. She hoped to please him by working like a slave when all he wanted was her love.
He raked a hand back through his hair and held his head. So what do I do, Lord? What do I do?
Tend my lamb.
"How?" Michael said to the night sky.
Entering the cabin quietly, he saw she was asleep in the chair. He lifted her gently and put her to bed. She looked so young and vulnerable. How far was she removed from the child raped at eight? Not far enough. No wonder she had never seen sex as having anything to do with love. How could she? He knew he didn't know the half of what she had gone through. He knew the only one who could mend a ruptured soul was God, and she wanted no part of him.
How do I teach a hurt child to trust you when the only father she knew hated her and wanted her dead? How do I teach her the world isn't all bad when the priest turned her mother away? Lord, she was sold into bondage to a man who sounds like Satan himself. How do I convince her there are good people in the world when everyone she has ever known used her and then condemned her for it?
Michael lifted a strand of her pale hair and rubbed it between his fingers. he hadn't made love to her since bringing her home. He wanted to. His body yearned for her. But then he would remember her lifeless voice as she said, "Duke has a thing for little girls" and his desire evaporated.
What was she thinking all those times we were together? Was I just like all of the others, taking my pleasure at her expense?
She had always seemed so strong. And she was. Strong enough to take unspeakable abuse and survive. Strong enough to adapt to anything. Strong enough to lock herself away inside walls she thought would make her safe. What choice had she then? How could she even comprehend what he offered her now?
She was just a child, Lord. Why did you let it happen? Jesus, I don't understand. Why? Aren't you supposed to protect the weak and innocent? Why didn't you protect her? Why didn't you help her? Why?
How was Angel any different from Hosea's wife, Gomer, sold to the prophet by her own father? A child of prostitution. An adulteress. Was Gomer ever redeemed by her husband's love? God had redeemed Israel countless times. Christ had redeemed the world. But what about Gomer, Lord? What about Angel? What about my wife?
Tend my lamb.
You keep saying that, but I don't know how. I don't know what you mean. I'm not a prophet, Lord. I'm a simple farmer. I'm not up to the task you set for me. My love hasn't been enough. She's still there in the pit, dying. I reach for her, but she won't take my hand. She'll kill herself trying to earn my love when it's hers already.
Trust me with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding.
I'm trying, Jesus. I'm trying.
Oh how I love this book! Now, I'm a writer and so it comes with the occupation to be engaged by someone who has the same gift. But what, through God, Francine did was show us the real, lasting and miraculous power of godly love and commitment displayed by the heart of a human. What she also showed us in her unique form of parable-telling is that loving and committing to something or someone is not always easy or comfortable or even understandable to the human senses. Not by a long shot. (And why would it be? Love is a spiritual, not physical principle.)
Now, before I expound on the power of commitment, let me just say that where God calls you, he equips you. God did not call the Israelites to eat quail, for instance, and so they were not equipped to handle it (Numbers 11:31-35). We have to be very careful to discern what is an assignment from God and what is a consequence of our own anxiety and rebellion. I think I've shared before that in a poem I wrote eleven years ago, it was a huge light bulb moment for me when I wrote, "And now I stand here bonded to something God never gave me; I simply took." I think I also shared a few weeks back a huge "ah ha!" moment one of my girlfriends had about her troubled marriage of almost 20 years. As she was crying to God about all of the sacrifices she had made, God's still small voice replied to her, "I never asked you to." (Marry him in the first place, we mean because once you enter covenant, well, that's another devotional entirely!)
Family, we must be very cautious not to spiritually manipulate things to fit our own agendas and lusts. Just because you want "it" that doesn't automatically mean it's in God's design for you to have it. How can you know for sure? Well, ironically, even that discovery starts out with making a commitment:
"Commityour works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established."---Proverbs 16:3 (NKJV)
A good way to know if it's a "you call" and not a God call is if you make "it" be your god (Exodus 20:3):
"We fight with weapons that are different from those the world uses. Our weapons have power from God that can destroy the enemy's strong places. We destroy people's arguments and every proud thing that raises itself against the knowledge of God. We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ."---2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NCV)
"Do not go after other gods to serve them and worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands; and I will not harm you.' Yet you have not listened to Me," says the Lord, "that you might provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt."---Jeremiah 26:6-7 (NKJV)
When have you made something a "god"? When you have deified that person, place, thing or idea.
Deify: to adore or regard as a deity; to idealize; exalt
Exalt: to raise in rank, honor, power, character, quality, etc.; elevate (above God)
So, how do we get the things that we desire in life without the fear of making them a god?
"So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."
Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." But after that no one dared question Him."---Mark 12:32-34 (NKJV)
There are (at least) two revelations within this scripture: One, if you love God with all that you are, you are not far from tapping into God's kingdom. And what is in God's kingdom? Access to what we eat, what we drink, what we wear...all of our needs (Matthew 6:31-24). As a matter of fact, the 33rd verse of Matthew 6 states that when we seek God and his righteousness, all of these things are added unto us. I believe this is why James (5:16---NKJV) tells us that, "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." When you put God first, it gives you kingdom access and in there, there is power or as the Message Version of this text states, "...great things happen."
But there is another "ah ha!" moment found in Mark.
A lot of people are suffering right now and they believe it's because God wants them to for the sake of commitment. However, these scriptures say that when you put God first and then love your neighbor as yourself, it's more than burnt offers and sacrifices. Oh, it amazes me how the Bible comes full circle because what does it say in I Samuel 15:22? TO OBEY IS BETTER THAN TO SACRIFICE, right? Some of you right now are sacrificing needlessly and it's all because your priorities are out of order: God first, then everything else. A funny thing happens when you follow God's special formula:
"Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."---Matthew 11:29-30 (NKJV)
When God's hand is in it, whatever "it" may be, you won't crumble or break during the hard times. As a matter of fact it will not be as stressful to you as those who are looking on the outside may expect it to be. Why? Because again, where God calls you, he equips you. This is why we have to be so careful to flippantly speak on what God told us to do and even more cautious about speaking on what we think someone else should be doing with their lives. It is oh so much easier (and arrogant) to try and run someone else's world, but God gave us all one soul to be totally accountable for. As it says in Ezekiel 18:20 (NKJV), "The person who sins is the one who will die" and so really, when it comes to an adult person's life, there is no reason not to mind your own business (I Thessalonians 4:11). Counsel is one thing; control is something entirely different.
Whew! Now that the foundation is laid, let's get into the true purpose of this message: What it means to be committed. You should know me well enough to know that I am going to start with the dictionary's definition of the word:
Commitment: the act of committing, pledging, or engaging oneself; a pledge or promise; obligation; engagement; involvement; a pledge to do; the state of being bound emotionally or intellectually to a course of action or to another person or persons; the trait of sincere and steadfast fixity of purpose; the act of binding yourself (intellectually or emotionally) to a course of action.
Synonyms for Commitment: duty, guarantee, need, obligation, pledge, promise, responsibility, undertaking, vow, word
Now, let's look at what the Word says about making a commitment:
"When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; for He has no pleasure in fools.
Pay what you have vowed- better not to vow than to vow and not pay."---Matthew 5:4-5 (NKJV)
"And don't say anything you don't mean. This counsel is embedded deep in our traditions. You only make things worse when you lay down a smoke screen of pious talk, saying, 'I'll pray for you,' and never doing it, or saying, 'God be with you,' and not meaning it. You don't make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true. Just say 'yes' and 'no.' When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong."---Matthew 5:33-37 (Message)
"'Don't waste your energy striving for perishable food like that. Work for the food that sticks with you, food that nourishes your lasting life, food the Son of Man provides. He and what he does are guaranteed by God the Father to last.'
To that they said, 'Well, what do we do then to get in on God's works?'
Jesus said, 'Throw your lot in with the One that God has sent. That kind of a commitment gets you in on God's works.'"---John 6:27-29 (NKJV)
Now, let's look at what the dictionary says again. A commitment is an "obligation" and "pledge", but it's also "the trait of sincere and steadfast fixity of purpose" and "the act of binding yourself (intellectually or emotionally) to a course of action". So, when you make a commitment to someone or something, there must be a purpose behind it; it must motivate you towards a course of action:
"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."---Romans 8:28 (NKJV)
"But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work."---2 Corinthians 9:6-8 (NKJV)
Earlier today, I was talking to a girlfriend of mine about what "Redeeming Love" has motivated me to do. It has caused me to rethink my relationships and my obligations. Before getting involved in anything, I have to seek God for the purpose of being a part of it (because a lot of us are in foolishness and it's quite frankly because what we are doing has no godly purpose to it) and then I have to consult him about the course of action to take (Proverbs 16:9). But once that has been laid out (Jeremiah 33:3), I must stand firm; I must stay committed. It doesn't matter what the circumstances may look like or what the other person is saying or doing (or not saying or doing). A commitment is not based on someone else's lack of commitment. It's an internal obligation, pledge, fixity of purpose and a self-bind to a course of action regardless of what the outward circumstances may appear to be.
This is why God calls us to put him first. He's not an ego maniac. It's that he knows that without his help and guidance (and many times favor and grace, too), we would not be able to stick to what we started. To stay with something no matter what takes supernatural insight, strength and power and we cannot get that on our own.
But, what really hit me about commitment was something I found in the following scriptures:
"Abraham and his descendants received the promise that they would get the whole world. He did not receive that promise through the law, but through being right with God by his faith. If people could receive what God promised by following the law, then faith is worthless. And God's promise to Abraham is worthless, because the law can only bring God's anger. But if there is no law, there is nothing to disobey.
So people receive God's promise by having faith. This happens so the promise can be a free gift. Then all of Abraham's children can have that promise. It is not only for those who live under the law of Moses but for anyone who lives with faith like that of Abraham, who is the father of us all. As it is written in the Scriptures: 'I am making you a father of many nations.' This is true before God, the God Abraham believed, the God who gives life to the dead and who creates something out of nothing.
There was no hope that Abraham would have children. But Abraham believed God and continued hoping, and so he became the father of many nations. As God told him, 'Your descendants also will be too many to count.' Abraham was almost a hundred years old, much past the age for having children, and Sarah could not have children. Abraham thought about all this, but his faith in God did not become weak. He never doubted that God would keep his promise, and he never stopped believing. He grew stronger in his faith and gave praise to God. Abraham felt sure that God was able to do what he had promised. So, 'God accepted Abraham's faith, and that faith made him right with God.'"---Romans 4:13-22 (NCV)
I know we all have received the "Reason, Season, Lifetime" email before and while I do think it holds a significant amount of merit, what God has recently been revealing to me is that a lot of times we will use messages like that as a scapegoat. If something gets too hard, it must have been seasonal. If we get our feelings hurt, it must have been seasonal. If we don't see the results that we want at the time that we want it, it must have been seasonal. There are so many marriages that end, friendships that break up, purposes that are not totally fulfilled all because of this mentality. What I love about those scriptures in Romans is that it ties in so well with I Corinthians 6:12 (NKJV):
"Everything is permissible (allowable and lawful) for me; but not all things are helpful (good for me to do, expedient and profitable when considered with other things). Everything is lawful for me, but I will not become the slave of anything or be brought under its power."
Do you see that "law" word in there? Now what did Romans tell us again? If people could receive what God promised by the law, then faith is worthless, right? (Romans 4:14). Let's take marriage, for example. One of my very wise friends once said, "Just because you can divorce on the grounds of adultery (Matthew 5:32), that doesn't mean you should. God says he hates divorce (and marital separation and he who covers his garment with violence---Malachi 2:16---AMP) regardless."
Hmm, now let's look at what the Word says God hates in more specific terms:
"These six things the Lord hates, indeed, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look [the spirit that makes one overestimate himself and underestimate others], a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that manufactures wicked thoughts and plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies [even under oath], and he who sows discord among his brethren."---Proverbs 6:16-19 (AMP))
I would love to run a poll and see how many marriages ended in divorce without at least one of these issues being the factor! Aside from the fact that marriage is meant to be God's representation of holy oneness on the earth (Matthew 19:4-6), I think one of the reasons why he detests divorce so much is because in most cases, if pride was not a factor, lying was. If not lying, a heart with wicked plans. If not a wicked heart, its tricky feet that love to stay in mischief. Divorce (i.e., breaking your commitment) doesn't change these things; the love of God does. (2 Timothy 1:7, Hebrews 6:10, 2 Peter 1:2-9) How can someone with these issues truly see the love of God unless someone remains committed to showing them?
Oh, please believe that as a single woman I am not gonna even begin to imply that staying married, even to the "best" person is easy, but "easy" and "hard" are not the issues here. STAYING COMMITTED TO SOMETHING YOU VOWED TO GOD IS. Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV) says that faith is "...the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith it's impossible to please God and yet Matthew 19:26 assures us that with God all things are possible. Abraham stood as a huge example of faith because despite the odds or the obstacles, he remained committed to believing what God promised him. The law, what could have even passed as "permissible" to him, was not good enough. He knew that putting his stock in what he could see (now) would cause him to miss out on what he could not see (later). (I Corinthians 2:7-9)
You can't tap into this kind of blessing without making a commitment and then sticking to it, ya'll. The beautiful thing about the story of Hosea in the Book of Hosea is that first of all, he did what God told him to do no matter how it appeared:
"The first time God spoke to Hosea he said: 'Find a whore and marry her. Make this whore the mother of your children.'"---Hosea 1:2 (Message)
Do you know how crazy that sounds? But, he found the strength (and humility) to do it because whenever God calls you to make a commitment, there is a purpose behind it:
"'And here's why: This whole country has become a whorehouse, unfaithful to me, God.'"---Hosea 1:2 (Message)
Do you think marrying a whore was easy for Hosea to do? No, but he remained committed to his wife because in marrying her there was a greater purpose. Do you think we are easy to love? No, but God remains committed to us, too because he sees a greater purpose. What I have purposed in my heart to do is rededicate myself to God so that I will not let time, emotions, circumstances, people or even myself deter me from what God calls me to do. Through Hosea and Gomer, Michael and Angel (you really gotta get the book!) and even the penning of this devotional, I have come to accept that there will be times when God will call me to commit to something and I will have to rely on nothing by God and faith to put the purpose into action. It very well could look crazy, but the Bible says that if we have self-seeking in our hearts, that kind of wisdom is earthly, sensual (following of the senses) and demonic. (James 3:14-15) So many of us claim to be followers of Christ, but we don't want to do the work that is required to follow him:
"Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."---Matthew 16:24(NKJV)
Have you ever looked up the definition of "cross" before?
Cross: a structure consisting essentially of an upright and a transverse piece, upon which persons were formerly put to death; any suffering endured for Jesus' sake; an opposition; thwarting; frustration; any misfortune; trouble; a trial or affliction.
Christ didn't say take up the cross that he died on. He said TAKE UP YOURS and from the looks of the definition that has its own level of suffering in it. How do I know?
"Love suffers long and is kind..."---I Corinthians 13:4 (NKJV)
"If you are trying hard to do good, no one can really hurt you. But even if you suffer for doing right, you are blessed. 'Don't be afraid of what they fear; do not dread those things.' But respect Christ as the holy Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have, 16 but answer in a gentle way and with respect. Keep a clear conscience so that those who speak evil of your good life in Christ will be made ashamed. It is better to suffer for doing good than for doing wrong if that is what God wants."---I Peter 3:13-17 (NCV)
"Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator."---I Peter 4:19(NKJV)
But if you stick it out, if you stay committed, great things are in store:
"Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: 'For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry."---Hebrews 10:35-37(NKJV)
"Withstand him; be firm in faith [against his onset--rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined], knowing that the same (identical) sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood (the whole body of Christians) throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace [Who imparts all blessing and favor], Who has called you to His [own] eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, and strengthen, and settle you."---I Peter 5:9-11 (AMP)
This week, take some time to think about the word "commitment" as it relates to your own life. How many times did you consult God before getting in or out of something? What things have you bailed out on simply because your flesh didn't like it? How often have you wavered all because you couldn't make a commitment and stick to it? I don't know about you, but it's getting clearer to me that it's hard to get what I want in this life if I don't remain committed to anything:
"But if any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it. He is generous to everyone and will give you wisdom without criticizing you. 6 But when you ask God, you must believe and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like a wave in the sea, blown up and down by the wind. Such doubters are thinking two different things at the same time, and they cannot decide about anything they do. They should not think they will receive anything from the Lord."---James 1:5-7 (NCV)
It's even harder to bring people into the love of God if I don't show it to them...even when I suffer...even when it hurts...even when I don't receive it in return (especially in the way or time that I would like). I'm sure God can relate being that so often that is how it feels dealing with me and yet, amazingly, he's committed and he's staying right here, anyway---no matter what. After all, ain't that what love is all about?
"Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or in order that I may glory, but have not love (God's love in me), I gain nothing."---I Corinthians 13:3 (AMP)
After all, love is not a weapon; it's a lifeline and many are dying for our help...our love...our commitment---no matter what.
©Shellie R. Warren/2008
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