What You Will Get

Don't know what it's going to take for me to be consistent in blogging! This is supposed to be a family record. If I don't actually blog, then no record. I think the situation we're in right now makes it rather depressing to blog, so I don't make the effort. But I need to blog every day, just a little blurb about what we did that day if nothing else. There, I have admonished myself! :)

Went to Baskin Robbins last night for 31-cent scoop night. Fun!

I've been reading through Oswald Chamber's My Utmost for His Highest this year for probably the 4th time. I take the verse he uses and read the scripture portion it's found in to get the context. Then I read his comments.

April 28th was an entry entitled "What You Will Get". It convicted me on many fronts. Here's a part of it:

So many of us are caught up in exhibiting things for others to see, not showing off property and possessions, but our blessings. All these things that we so proudly show have to go. But there is something greater that can never go--the life that "is hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3).

That statement really blew me away because I have been on both ends of it. I never realized it when I was the one "exhibiting" my blessings "for others to see. But I have noticed it since Greg was laid off when others say things that seem innocuous, thanking God that they're not in the same situation. When you're on my end of it, it seems like others have been blessed by God because they've deserved it, and I wonder what we've done that we don't deserve God's blessings. It brought to my mind a time when we were in a small group at church. I don't even remember what study we were doing or anything. But we were in the process of building this house, and I made some stupid comment about God blessing us with this house because we'd always been faithful tithers. A dear friend called me to task on that with the comment that others who've also faithfully tithed haven't received the same type of blessing. This happened YEARS ago, but God brought it to my mind.

Are you prepared to let God take you into total oneness with Himself, paying no more attention to what you call the great things in life? Are you prepared to surrender totally and let go?

I feel like the man you said to Jesus, "I do believe. Help my unbelief!" Except for me it's: I do surrender. Help my unsurrender! That doesn't make as much sense, but you get the picture. Lord, help me never again to boast about my blessings or even desire blessings from you, but to want only you, all of you.