all of me
"As they were making their way along, someone said to Him, 'I will be Your follower wherever You go.' " —Luke 9:57
Throughout this year and throughout our lives, the Lord has repeatedly challenged us to make a total commitment to Him. We thought we had already given Him everything, but then once again circumstances indicated that we were still seeking to get our own way instead of His will. This time let's surrender all of the all. Let's burn the bridges behind us (see 1 Kgs 19:21) and have nothing and no one to turn to except Jesus. When we put our hand to the plow this time, we'll have nothing to look back to (Lk 9:62).
If we have given "all of our all" to the Lord, the devil will give us some new carnal pleasures to compete with Jesus for our attention. But the Spirit will fight against these selfish desires (Gal 5:17), and we will continue in our total commitment to the Lord.
"I am going into this with you for your own good. I have no desire to place restrictions on you, but I do want to promote what is good, what will help you to devote yourselves entirely to the Lord" (1 Cor 7:35). John Wesley said that if he had fifty people who loved no one more than Jesus, feared no one more than Jesus, and served no one more than Jesus, he would win the world for Christ. The Lord gave His all for us on Calvary. Let's respond accordingly.
Prayer: Jesus, at the foot of Your cross, I realize Christianity is all or nothing.
Promise: "Let the dead bury their dead; come away and proclaim the kingdom of God." —Lk 9:60
Praise: Praise You, risen Jesus! "My Lord are You. Apart from You I have no good...my heart is glad and my soul rejoices" in You (Ps 16:2, 9).
Reference: (For related teaching, order our tape on Developing a Deep Personal Relationship with Jesus on audio AV 52-1 or video V-52.)
Rescript: †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, December 29, 2009
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