4Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 6And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. -Psalm 37:4-6 (KJV)
Today it might seem I am a little off topic, but bear with me. Today is Memorial Day, and words could not possibly express my personal appreciation for those who have served our country and paid the ultimate sacrifice to secure the freedoms we hold dear. They understood total commitment and let us make sure those lessons are not lost on us. Please read on...
Yesterday as part of the morning message I felt led of the Lord to issue a challenge to the congregation to be more committed in attending regularly scheduled services. I would hope anyone reading this would also be encouraged to take up the same challenge in your place of service. Why is this so important? It’s important because our commitment determines our involvement. Our involvement then determines our effectiveness in ministry. As followers of Christ we are facing a time of apathy and indifference. Countless people these days will serve the Lord – as long as it is convenient. When we are asked to be involved in a ministry what is our response? Do we pray about it and if the Lord is leading do we respond positively and get involved? Or do we sit back in the hope someone else will take on the challenge?
Christ is calling His people to wake up out of our spiritual slumber and begin serving Him with zeal, devotion, and unwavering commitment. Andrea and I have been blessed over the years through greater and deeper involvement in whatever church the Lord placed us. Do not fear getting more involved in the ministries of the church, for the Lord will open doors of ministry which will take you to deeper levels of faith and commitment. The result will be spiritual blessings and renewal of faith in your personal devotion to Christ. A friend of mine once compared ministry to riding a bicycle up a steep hill. Pedaling up the hill is involvement; flying down the other side is total commitment! Christ is indeed calling His people to total commitment.
Do we have to be at the church every time the doors open? The answer is no. However, keep in mind how our commitment determines our involvement, and our involvement determines our effectiveness in ministry. Many if not most of us have vast resources of untapped talents and abilities from which our congregations can greatly benefit. We must not allow ourselves to become comfortable where we are. The Christian life is all about growing and walking more closely with Christ. This happens when we resolve with the Lord’s help to be totally committed.
The Lord is calling us to stop and examine our hearts and lives. If you find you are suffering with half-hearted commitment to Christ then now is the time to change. Seek the Lord’s power to be more committed – totally committed. Ministry, blessings, and a closer walk with Jesus Christ will result.
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