Word for Today, Friday, 20 February 2009: A Commitment that Works
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>
I have subscribed to the PCCWeb Daily devotional message for many years, and over the years there have been many good messages in that series. Every now and then, one of them really grabs my heart and my attention, and I want to share them with you. That has now happened twice in the past week.
Here is another good one today.
The theme is about committing our ways to the Lord. That's a good thing, I think we'd agree, but the author continues with it and makes a really good case.
My pastor has often spoken about faith, trust, and obedience, and how the three of them are closely connected. This notion of committing also has close ties to faith and obedience.
I can still remember a series of messages that a pastor of another church I attended about a decade ago preached. It stuck with me well, and for long time readers of this column, I am sure I wrote about it back then. It was all about the cycle of trust, delight, and commit. The scripture passage comes from Psalm 37 and I encourage you to read it. Maybe it will stick with you for a decade, too!
Here is the message from PCCWeb that reminded me of these things:
Yours in Christ,
Brian
Today's Devotional Success Guaranteed Proverbs 16:3 - Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. (NIV) As a renewed Christian -- a good few years ago now -- I so wanted to succeed in serving the Lord. I so wanted this promise of success, as well as all other promises in God's Word. At the time, I still had to learn to read the Bible in such a way as to see what I must do in order to have these promises fulfilled. So began my new Christian life of word studies. I'm still constantly fascinated that God's promises are so abundant for so very little activity on our part. I found that commit simply means to entrust, delegate, relegate, consign, devote it, pledge it, dedicate it -- to the Lord: "whatever you do." After that comes God's promise of success, which means fulfillment, accomplishment, attainment, realization, reaching one's aims and goals, arrival at, triumphing over, to win, to have victory, fame, fortune, prosperity, wealth, riches, et cetera. An enormous promise, isn't it? Over the years, the habit of committing plans and activities to the Lord has become almost second nature. I have without doubt enjoyed much success, not of the fame and fortune kind, but in accomplishment, fulfillment, and satisfaction, as well as joy, happiness, contentment, and best of all, the Lord's pleasure and blessings. Of course, I had to learn that my idea of success in any given activity is not necessarily the same as God's definition of success in any activity or plan I undertake. His success is better for me than anything I could dream up or imagine. Let me encourage us to continually commit all we do unto the Lord, because it affords us the very best of success and benefits. When we commit everything to the Lord, we are depending on Him to meet any needs that may be at hand. We are trusting that God's supply is always sufficient -- often, we don't really need half of what we think we do. Committing to God removes any self-pressure, as well as pressure others may place upon us. Truly, only what we do in the Lord will be important at the end of our earthly life. Only what He would have us be and do really matters. Do I get some things wrong sometimes? Oh, yes, indeed! -- but the Lord knows our true intentions and our hearts. If we willingly commit all we do to our Lord God, then God's promise of success is ours, fashioned by His gracious, loving, perfect hands. Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, our Lord, that You continually and graciously help us to learn, to fulfill Your Word, and to become more fruitful and successful in all aspects of life and service. We thank You that as You cause us to grow and build us up, we may help others to grow and to build them up. Amen and Amen. Rosemary Renninson <<a href="mailto:artrose@dodo.com.au,pccwebdaily@cogeco.ca?subject=Daily%20Feedback%20for%20Friday,%20February%2020,%202009">artrose@dodo.com.au> Forward This Devotional to a friend without subscribing them, or give a Gift Subscription. Now Available -- The PCCWeb Daily Devotional Text and Podcast Feed Read Through Your Bible Today's Music (for versions with music): Heavenly Sunshine. Encourage our Writers - Simply click on the writer's e-mail address to send your appreciation or questions. Our Readers Respond - Feedback from yesterday's devotional is posted at daily.presbycan.ca/feedback/fb-19.html by the Feedback Editor, Jane Anne Waller <pccwebdaily@cogeco.ca>. Pray about contributing a devotional - All our writing is done by volunteers. Writing is not restricted to Canadians or Presbyterians. E-mail the Submissions Editor, Mary Jane Hanson <daily.submissions@sasktel.net>. Suggestions Or Comments About This Page? - Send them to the Daily Technical and Oversight Editor, Robin Ross <rross@telus.net>. The PCCWeb Daily Devotional on the Internet PrayerLine Today's Presbyterian Prayer Partnership prayer request posted by Grace-ann McIntyre <<a href="mailto:gmcintyr@presbyterian.ca,daily.prayer@cogeco.ca%0A?subject=Presbyterian%20Prayer%20Partnership%20on%20Daily">gmcintyr@presbyterian.ca> Hope and Faith posted by Mandy Bramlitt <<a href="mailto:mbramlitt@adventurelanding.com,daily.prayer@cogeco.ca?subject=Your%0APrayerLine%20Request">mbramlitt@adventurelanding.com> - 2/19/09 The volunteer PCCWeb Daily Editorial Staff
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