If you have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord of your life, at that same moment you received the gift of the Holy Spirit, the wonderful glories that await in the Kingdom of Heaven and became a child of God. Rejoice! I can recall that moment in my life, and the months that followed after, for as a newborn child of God I was ecstatic, elated to a point that everyone I knew, and many I had not contacted or kept in touch with for quite some time had to know. I must have spent $200.00 in phone bills that first month and the responses I received of “That’s nice, good to hear from you, have to go now” did not discourage me one bit, though I could not understand why everyone had not done this.
Like many other Christians, after my ‘initial on fire for the Lord’ stage, I started to backslide, (Jer. 3:22) I became a lost sheep, a prodigal son, running back to my old life, not wanting to move toward a personal, closer relationship with our Lord. I rebelled and returned numerous times, though I truly believe that at some of those times God drug me back, but through all the times of leaving, repenting and returning, I remained a child of God.
Now as I stated previously, all who are saved by the grace of God (Eph. 2:8) are children of God, but how long should we remain children, are we not expected to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, (2nd Peter 3:18) does He not require of us to be profitable servants, (Matt. 25:15), and not continue in the life that He has blessed us with always in the milk of the word. Looked at how long it had been before Paul wrote back to the Corinthian Church and found that the believers there had grown very little, if at all. Think of perhaps at times how sorrowful he must have been to see such a great fire simmer to almost nothing but coals, warm embers at best.
It saddens me to say that I have met many people in my walk that are like that, and I cannot judge, nor will I try, but some of these individuals do not strike me as even being saved. Their conversations do not revolve, and rarely even touch on the Word of God and His wonderful works, in fact, many times the dialogue is shifted by them away from Him, speaking mainly on the temporal and not the eternal, yet some of them claim to have been Christians for many years, some even deacons and elders within their respective church’s. I am not God and in this area I do not judge, so I prefer to think of them as perpetual children, having a key to heaven, as it were, but desiring nothing else.
Perhaps they desire to think on only God’s love, which is honorable and worthy, but never on His wrath or perfect justice, the thoughts of what others might perceive them as if they bring up the cross and the sins paid for by our precious Lord for them causes these individuals a level of tension that borders on anxiety. It aches my heart, for Jesus offers so much more to those willing to step up, those profitable servants who no longer “love the praise of men, but the praise of God.” (John 12:43) Yet I too was once one of these, content to stay in the sheepfold, not wanting to be noticed as a follower of Christ, not really wanting or carry to be called to more, as James, John, and Peter were, asked by Christ to go a little further.
I knew for many years the words I should say, the two, small words that God desired for me to say, was waiting patiently all those years for me to give voice to. I also realized that if I ever said them, I had to mean it, with all my heart, for He would accept no less. You cannot turn back after you declare them, and total trust in the Lord our God, which I am sorry to say that in my sinful flesh I will never have, is nevertheless what you must believe, you must have faith that what God has in store for you is infinitely better than anything you could ever imagine. These two words are “Use me.” They are the words that turn boys into men, women to ladies, children to obedient willing servants, these words take the hard path and make it wonderful, they allow us to drop our heavy burden and take His yoke, and as He promised, it is lite. (Matt.11:29)
Think on Isaiah (6:8) when God said “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us.” With great excitement and intensity Isaiah runs up to the Throne, both arms waving wildly, and yells “Here am I, send me!” Now, perhaps that was not quite the scene, but I think He was very excited to be used by God, and no matter the calling, we should react the same. With this same type of elation and eagerness, in great humility and faith in His promises, we yield to the Sovereign God of all creation and submit ourselves to His loving will for us. When you add the words “No matter the cost” to your commitment to Him, the child will begin his training, the servant to be, the man of God, the woman willing to stand, will begin to grow, to submit to the Holy Spirit within them, studying to show themselves approved, (2nd Tim. 2:15) thy will be done, and the death of self no longer words just read and laid aside, but now lived, and lived for His glory, and for His glory alone.
The cross our Lord asks us to carry cannot be carried by a child, meat can’t be given to small children, yet still, even though children and servants are both dearly loved, those who desire to serve must hold a special place in His heart, for they truly seek His face and are willing to suffer the loss of all, if called to, for Him. We must enter into heaven with the faith of a little child, (Matt. 18:3) but God will suffer no second place, spouse, children, even our own selves must take a back seat to the will of Almighty God, for He alone is worthy. The faith of children can grow by His grace, your faith and assurance of His blessings and leading will become a fact, and you will be as sure of them as the sky is blue. Our gracious Lord leads His children and we are all His children who call Jesus Christ Lord, yet He says to others, “Follow me.”
The choice is yours, for I do not believe that in this age of grace God forces anyone, but He asks, asks if you would like to grow, ask if you would like to come out of the sheepfold and go a little further, asks if you would like to come a little closer to the throne of God where there are “clouds and thick darkness,” (Psalm 97:2) and incredible, unspeakable love for those who truly desire to be servants of the Most High God. Shame for His name will be a thing of the past, embarrassment for His Word never again will come into your thoughts, your own life will have no value, save for Him. You will be able to say in all honesty and truth “To live is Christ, to die is gain.” (Phil. 1:21)
He is willing to make you a profitable servant, waiting for you to place all that you are and all that you love here aside for His Glory, desiring to show you the exceeding abundant riches that wait for those who “Seek first the Kingdom of God” (Matt 6:33), waiting patiently for you to say Here I am Lord, use me.
Remember the price that was paid for you, in His tender love and care, He will bring you to Himself.
