“Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in the Lord his God…The Lord raises those who are bowed down.”

Psalm 146: 5, 8

God states He’s the “hope” and “help” of our life. He promises that he won’t be moved or shaken up, or thrown for a loop by what we see as scary, or uncertain, or even a bit loopy.

Growing up I was pretty good at baseball. I love the game. However, one thing I have always feared is the curveball. I can’t hit a curveball to save my life. That’s why I’m so grateful for the help of a designated hitter. Often I was hanging my head from many a strikeout, but with a good “DH” I watch as every pitch gets knocked out of the park.

Just like in baseball, life has curveballs. The only differences are that they are thrown faster, harder, and it’s not a game. I’m increasingly grateful for Jesus’ abundant faithfulness and grace in my life. The times that we might swing and miss or even strikeout, are the moments where we can take hope, we have a friend on the roster that is willing to stand in on our behalf and deliver a grand slam, bringing us all home with him.

Why?

Because Jesus is Immanuel (God with us) He’s right at the center of our hearts willing to offer his stability, peace, and love in and out of every loopy situation we find ourselves in day after day.

“And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

2 Corinthians 12:9, 10

“And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other. Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord.”

Genesis 13:10-13

In Africa there is a popular fable told of the greedy monkey. One day the monkey went out and found a jar buried in the ground with only the mouth protruding the surface of the earth. The monkey approached and to his delight found that in the jar were fresh bananas. Cupping his hand, he slid it through the narrow opening and grabbed the bunch of bananas. When removing his hand he realized that the mouth was too small for his greedy grasp to escape. Not wanting to let go of his lust the monkey was trapped unto his own destruction as the hunter approached.

As I look at Lot I can’t help but think of the greedy monkey. Lot would look out over the plain of Jordan and when humble Abe trusted the Lord, Lot chose instead to grab up as much greener grass as he could. We would later find that Lot’s greed would lead to Sodom, a place later destroyed by the Lord for its wickedness. Lot traveled east towards Ai, I think it’s fitting that Ai is translated “ruin” in Hebrew, for that’s exactly where greed leads. Lot would move farther and farther from Bethel (the house of God) and deeper into the land of Ruin. Interestingly enough, the one who seemed to come out empty handed, would be the one receiving the greater blessing.

I believe this is a powerful principle to those who seek after a pure love with the Lord. Abram trusted himself and his portion to God. Paul would tell us in the book of Hebrews “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Lot would later be threatened, and endangered in Sodom as he grasped his portion, eventually losing his family, his house, his status, and would find himself barely escaping through the flames with his life. I believe this is the desire of the Hunter…or Satan. He seeks to exploit the sinful lust in man, trapping mankind in ruin. The only way to escape the captivity of greed and the destruction of sinful separation from the Lord is by letting go of lust, keeping our hands free of the flesh and seeking to satisfy the Holy Spirit. Keeping open hands to receive the blessings from the Lord’s loving hands.

“Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

1 Timothy 6:6-10

Abram calmly waited and trusted while Lot lustfully clinged to the lush land.

Why did Abram calmly stand by while seemingly missing out on everything? Hebrews 11 would tell us “By faith Abram dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Abram knew God would make good on His promises. He wasn’t about to travel away from the house of the One who would bring the goods. Abram wasn’t going farther from God, He was content to be close and wait on the promise of God in faith. Not only getting another blessing to his portion but at the same time growing deeper in his friendship with the Lord. Beyond a reward, Abram was blessed with relationship.

I reckon all of us would be wise to do the same, seek the relationship, by faith draw near and receive your portion. It’s there for all to receive. (Isaiah 55)

“There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the sacred home of the Most High. God himself lives in that city; it cannot be destroyed or shaken. God will protect it at the break of day.”

Genesis 46:4-5

I like that, this passage states God’s dwelling place. The place He protects, makes glad, and calls home. It reminds me of another passage in Scripture that talks about God’s home. In Ancient Israel the Temple was constructed as the place of residence for worship and ministry unto God. The Glory of God would fall and rest in the most Holy place of the temple, and He would dwell there in the midst of the city of David.

1 Corinthians 3:16 “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? ”

God makes His home in you upon Salvation. It’s the place He protects, makes glad, the place he enjoys dwelling in.

“I don’t feel glad.” you say.

“I don’t feel protected”, you say.

“I don’t feel close to God”, you say.

Understand it’s not the city that makes the gladness happen. It’s not the house that makes the home. Sure you might be able to make yourself happy for a bit, but your lasting Satisfaction, your gladness isn’t drummed up on your own strength. It’s brought by the river that flows through the city of your heart.

What river?

John 7:37-38 “On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If any one thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

Throughout the bible the Word of God is often described as the living water (Eph 5:26). It’s important we stay in the word, because as we draw near to God, he will draw near to us (James 4:8). The depth that we dive into the water of God’s word is the same proportion we are immersed by Gods presence in our hearts and lives.

I love diving into a pool on a hot summer day. I take a good jump, gather a bunch of spring off the diving board and as gracefully as I can find my way to the water. There’s nothing like the first dive of the summer season, on those scorching hot days it’s nice to be able to find refreshment. In the same way we dive into the pool and come up to exhale a breath of refreshment, we can find ourselves breathing a sigh of refreshment spiritually on those hot days of life where the gladness seems lost, we feel unprotected and shaken up, and it seems as though life is burning you.

Jesus is described as the Word made flesh (John 1:14) Jesus dwells among us, He dwells inside us, and if we believe (John 7:38) He is the river whose streams make glad the city of your heart.

“And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord. So Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South.”

Genesis 12:8-9

If you had the chance to invite anyone to dinner, who would it be?

Sometimes while on the road I ask myself random questions like this. I find myself imagining what it would be like to sit down in a local diner with a guy like Abram. Sure people might stare at his threads and unkept facial hair, but I reckon he would probably be one of the most interesting and heartwarming guys to share a cup of Joe with. Think about it, the man that we’re reading about at the moment is one of the rare few throughout the history of mankind to have journeyed to the inner circle of friendship with God. I would love to listen to what went on in his heart and mind while becoming “God’s friend” as the bible refers to him. Most people through history have barely bothered to even acknowledge God much less be His friend. The story of Abram is such a pleasure to read, it stands as the detailed trailblazer of how to abide intimately with God. As I read the word and witness the life of guys like Abram play out, it only stokes the combustion of passion for the Lord in my own heart.

We saw Abram’s response to God’s promise in verse 7, now we see what follows after the reminders have been established and the worship has been given. Abrams life and family go south.

I’ve often experienced the same thing in my walk with the Lord, I hear God’s voice, everything seems so awesome and I’m worshipping Him, and not soon after I set a memorial of the moment to remind myself of God’s promise, my circumstances take an ugly turn south. I believe this is of the Lord; He will lead us through a turn for the worse in life only to test and approve our character.

Why?

Because our time here on earth is only a preparation and molding for eternity in heaven.

Starting in Ur, which is translated flame, Abram travels just under 200 miles from the northwest coast of the Persian Gulf. He then hikes it about 600 miles northwest to Haran, meaning Mountaineer or Mountain. From Haran he traveled another few hundred miles southwest to the land of Canaan, meaning lowland. Passing through Canaan Abram now pitches his tent between Bethel, translated House of God, and Ai, meaning ruin. Abram’s life has been a long road, He’s been through the fiery suffering of loss, climbed the mountains of disappointment where he first began to hear God, then “Passes through” the lowlands only to hear God speak more blessing, and now he’s dwelling between God’s house and utter Ruin. On our own travels towards a deeper relationship with the Lord I believe all of us hit these places along the way. Life sometimes gets a bit fiery as we set out from the familiar to the unknown areas of faith. Then we seem to climb up and over the mountains to draw close to God and hear His voice in our personal lives. As we grow, circumstances in life sometimes bring us low, leaving us smack between God’s house and the utter ruin of our old natural life.

Not only does God allow us to suffer in life for our own character growth and development, but He allows us to go through the fire to be a living testimony to those around us. As Christians people are always watching us to see if the God we believe in is real. They want proof, and the way we walk through life is God’s way of displaying His truth to them. When Abram went through the ringer, He didn’t cave in and complain, He took the opportunity to proclaim God’s goodness to all those around. He “called on the name of the Lord”. The Hebrew suggests a public proclamation; Abram was literally the first dude in the Bible to be known for street evangelism. Even though he had every reason to complain, even though he seemed like the only guy seeking the Lord in the grossly idolatrous culture of Canaan (Genesis 15:16), Abram chose to praise the Lord and proclaim the good news to everyone watching and listening. In the same way, Jesus had every reason to complain, He was perfectly righteous in a fallen world, He was mistreated and life was hard…but He chose instead to Praise His Father, and proclaim to all the good news of salvation…in fact He laid down His life so we might see and follow His example in our own difficult circumstances.

You see all of us are between Bethel and Ai on earth. We’re between the House of God and Ruin. Abe chose to give glory to God when it got tough…what about you? When given life’s lemons are you surrendering those lemons on the altar and allowing God to alter your lemons to lemonade? Or are you just gripping those lemons and complaining about your sour situation?

It’s your choice.

”I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Romans 12:1-2

“This is the genealogy of Terah: Terah begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran begot Lot. And Haran died before his father Terah in his native land, in Ur of the Chaldeans…And Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and they went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan…and Terah died in Haran.”

Genesis 11:27-32

As I read this passage I can’t help but notice how rough life was even for the guys and gals in the Bible.

Followed by the introduction of a dad (Terah), and his three sons (Abram, Nahor, and Haran), we go on a rollercoaster ride of news, rising high on emotion as Baby Lot is born to Haran, and then the devastating fall out of Haran’s death. I’m sure Terah was grieved over the fact his youngest died before him. Soon after these events the family is uprooted to a new place. While en route Terah dies, and Abram is thrust into the position of “Head of the Household”. Not only is Abram trying to pick up the pieces of a broken and grieving family, he’s also in a foreign land separated from everything he was once familiar with. To add insult to injury he discovers his wife cannot bear children, bringing the dilemma of not being able to continue the family name (which was a big deal in the ancient Middle East).

Abram was stuck in the territory of Haran, he had followed his father there in obedience and now he is in the place where God, his heavenly father, will begin to command and lead, and Abram will learn to follow his new father.

“Be still, and know that I am God”

Psalm 46:10

Sometimes I find myself forgetting the fact that these biblical heroes got run over by life just like you and I today. It’s encouraging to me to see that even with the difficult life that Abram had, in the end, God worked amazing things from hopeless situations. This gives me a bit of hope in my seeming hopeless situations.

Let’s be real, all of us have had times where it seemed like the whole world was falling apart on top of us, and we get buried alive under the rubble. I’m sure Abram wasn’t exactly stoked in the midst of his current difficulties. However, God had a plan, and He was going to use this broken life and family to establish peace, restoration, and salvation to the whole human race.

“It is only when our lives are hid with Christ in God that we learn how to be silent unto God, not silent about Him, but silent with the strong restful certainty that all is well, behind everything stands God, and the strength of the soul is that it knows it. There are no panics intellectual or moral. What a lot of panicky sparrows we are, the majority of us. We chatter and tweet under God’s eaves until we cannot hear His voice at all—until we learn the wonderful life and music of the Lord Jesus telling us that our heavenly Father is the God of the sparrows, and by the marvelous transformation of grace He can turn the sparrows into His nightingales that can sing through every night of sorrow. A sparrow cannot sing through a night of sorrow, and no soul can sing through a night of sorrow unless it has learned to be silent unto God –one look, one thought about my Father in heaven, and it is all right.”

-Oswald Chambers (If you will be perfect pg.91)

No matter what gnarly situation you might be facing today, remember that God is working the present difficulty together for His future glory… through you. (Romans 8:28) You are part of His plan, and believe it or not He is using you, and your situation, to prepare the way for the arrival of His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus essentially takes the broken pieces and returns to us peace. (Jeremiah 29:11)

“I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of His wrath. He has led me and made me walk in darkness and not in light…He has hedged me in so that I cannot get out; He has made my chain heavy. Even when I cry and shout, He has made me desolate. He has also broken my teeth with gravel, and covered me with ashes. You have moved my soul far from peace; I have forgotten prosperity…Through the Lords mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness…The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord…For the Lord will not cast off forever. Though He causes grief, Yet He will show compassion according to the multitude of His mercies.”

-The Lament of the Prophet Jeremiah (Lamentations 3:1-32)

As I was on my way to NYC to visit my abuelita for Easter my family and I stopped at a citgo to get some gas. I was a bit parched so I zipped inside and bought a “Vitamin Water” (which is by far one of the greatest beverages on the market…save Starbucks Caramel Latte and Tropicana Peach Orchard Harvest).Have you ever stopped to read the witty stuff the Vitamin Water company throws on the side of their bottle?Well, as the refrigerator door rested open upon my shoulder I stopped to muse at the wittiness of my green tea. The excerpt was as follows:

“Is it us or is “maturing” just another word for getting old? and who likes getting old anyway? your ears get hairier than your head, your back goes out more than you do, your late night dinners turn into early bird specials, you go from blonde hair to blue hair and your little black book contains only names that end in M.D.that’s why this bottle is packed with fancy science stuff (except without the bubbling beakers), like vitamin c +egcg (a natural antioxidant) to help kick your metabolism up a notch and keep you looking good from now until the day that you’re so “mature” you can put your teeth in a cup.”

I can’t help but grin at the tongue in cheek comments. The truth is no matter how much Vitamin Water I drink I’m still going to get old. When the teeth are in the cup and the ears get hairy, green tea just isn’t going to help. “Our time here on earth is but a vapor” as the Bible says, I’m not really that put out by it. I’ve already accepted the fact that age happens, we can’t do a whole lot to change the reality that these bodies we have are temporary. What we can do, however, is invest the time we have in the “present temporary” into the “future eternal”

“Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.”

2 Corinthians 4:16

We have a perfect example from the Apostle Paul, or even more so Jesus Christ. They sacrificed themselves for the sake of God the Father. The wonderful phenomenon we witness is as they expended their physical lives for the Lord they grew and strengthened the spiritual life that would be enjoyed here in the present as well as in the future for eternity.

Oswald Chambers said this about the Apostle Paul:

“Paul faces the possibility of old age, of decay, and of death, with no rebellion and no sadness. Paul never hid from himself the effect which his work had upon him; he knew it was killing him, and, like his Master, he was old before his time, but there was no whining and no retiring from the work. Paul was not a fool; he did not waste his energy ridiculously, neither did he ignore the fact that it was his genuine apostolic work and nothing else that was wearing him out. Michelangelo said a wonderful thing–”The more the marble wears, the better the image grows,” and it is an illustration of this very truth. Every wasting of nerve and brain in work for God brings a corresponding uplift and strengthening to spiritual muscle and fiber.”

Oswald Chambers, The Message of Invincible Consolation 81 (the love of God volume)

I’m beginning to discover in my own personal life that old age isn’t something to fear and despise, but something to embrace and invest into. As we surrender and spend ourselves for God, the Marble of our character and personalities are worn through the weathering of our circumstances in life, and the greater the image of Jesus Christ grows in us.

“And he set the gatekeepers at the gates of the house of the Lord, so that no one who was in any way unclean should enter.”

2 Chronicles 23:19

The word “gatekeeper”, translated from the Hebrew word “show’er”, speaks of a porter or doorkeeper, one who guards the opening to the temple. The gatekeeper, a title spoken of here in 2 Chronicles, was a position installed by King David. They were Men from the tribe of Levi, set apart by God to maintain holiness throughout the temple. Armed with swords and passionately focused these men were the last line of defense from the outside world to the holy place where the Lord dwelt among man. Their role was to keep out anything unclean from the holy temple of the Lord, from ill intentions of plunderers to unclean animals; these guys guarded the temple night and day with a steadfast rigor.

While reading this verse it struck me that we as believers in Jesus Christ are referred to as the “temple” of God, and that God desires that nothing “in any way unclean should enter” His dwelling place.

We are also referred to as priests and Levites in 1 Peter two. God paints a picture to us through these passages; we too are called to be the gatekeepers of God’s new temple, our bodies. The culture of today would tell us that lust and the pleasures of illicit sex are acceptable. The Lord, however, would tell us we have the responsibility as His “Levites” to arm ourselves with the “sword of the spirit”, God’s word, and guard the holy dwelling place of our Souls from the things that plunder, or taint.

Just as the temple in ancient Israel had multiple rooms and courts that made up the “Temple”, we too as “the temple of the Holy Spirit” have multiple areas that make up our temple as a whole.

The Soul is the combination of our Hearts, and Minds. The inner chambers of the Temple otherwise known as “the Holy place” and “the most Holy place or Holy of Holies” are a picture of our Heart and Mind. These inner chambers were the places where Priests and Levites would carry out certain ministry unto God. Whether lighting candles, presenting offerings, burning incense, or entering before the Ark of the Covenant, all these actions took place within the confines of the Temple. In the same way, when we burn the incense of prayer, bring an offering of praise, or receive and illuminating word from Jesus (the light of the world) we are doing ministry unto God in the inner chambers of our bodies, the Temple.

The doors to the inner courts of our temple are the eyes and ears (Mat. 6:22, 23 Mat.12:35). These doors connect the happenings and conduct of the outer courts of our bodies to the inner areas of our souls. These doors are the key places to keep guard. The stuff we watch and listen to affects the state of our hearts and minds, and this is why Lord instructs us to keep them well, uncompromising and uncorrupted.

Our souls are the place the Holy Spirit of God calls home, and if home is a trashy place to live, it’s not much of a pleasure to hang out there is it?

“Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?”

1 Corinthians 6:19

When we as believers in Jesus Christ choose to take part in illicit sex, pornography, or any type of lust for that matter, we allow the carnal animal of our old nature to taint the holy dwelling place of our body and spirit. Satan, the plunderer of our souls would like to deceive us with the fleeting pleasures of the flesh. Trying to get us to lay down our swords and move aside so he can destroy anything that gives glory to the Lord.

In the same way that bodyguards train in combat and self defense to kick butt when any threat comes their way, the Lord says we are to train and arm ourselves with “weapons for warfare”. This is exclusively possible through the power of the Holy Spirit, apart from His power we are helpless, but in the power of the Holy Spirit we are enabled to heed the Lord’s wisdom from the word (Pr.4) and responding in obedience.

King David knew well the destruction that illicit sex and adultery can cause in your personal relationship with the Lord. That’s why in reference to the matter of personal purity, David instructs his son Solomon in the following manner:

“Pay attention, my child, to what I say. Listen carefully. Don’t lose sight of my words. Let them penetrate deep within your heart, for they bring life and radiant health to anyone who discovers their meaning. Above all else, guard your heart for it affects everything you do.”

Proverbs 4:20-23

The popular culture in all over the world today speaks of illicit sex and frivolous lifestyles as “living like kings”…May I suggest that the greatest King of all time would beg to differ?

“Then Peter began to say unto Him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed Thee…” Mark 10:28

While reading Mark 10, I was impressed by the dialogue held between Jesus and His disciples. After the Lord inquires of the disciples intentions to stick around, Peter and the disciples reveal how they had already radically abandoned everything of themselves to follow Jesus. Over the years I’ve sensed this same dialogue penetrating my heart, and I’m exposed by His pointed question, “Have I entirely abandoned myself and followed Jesus?” The answer that surfaced through this question can be pretty humbling.

The beginning of this sobering answer was given to me while I was looking at a portion of the Old Testament. The book of Ruth brings us up to speed with the story of a woman who had been away from home in a foreign land. After her husband and two sons die, Naomi (the prodigal Israelite) set out to return to the land of promise that her family had abandoned in search for greener grass. Alongside are her two daughter-in-laws, Orpah and Ruth. Traveling through the countryside in grief, Naomi turns and asks her two daughters-in-law/widows to turn back to what was familiar to them and be comforted there. An emotional Orpah heard the words of her mother-in-law and didn’t miss a beat, kissing goodbye she turned around and returned to the land of Moab. Interestingly enough, Ruth, a civilian of Moab just like Orpah, does not return but abandons herself to stand by Naomi, even though it meant difficulty and dismal hope.

I believe the answer to my question on abandonment begins here with Ruth.

The commitment that Ruth displays here is what the Lord desires of us. True abandonment unto Christ begins with a commitment that willingly abandons our natural desire to satisfy our selfish ambitions, then accompanied by a desire to give love without expecting anything in return. This is a picture of what it truly means to abandon “self”. As selfish sinful beings we innately desire to benefit ourselves through all opportunities, and at the expense of others. If we are really honest, we will notice that our priorities are often founded on what we are receiving from our surroundings, circumstances, church, relationships, and even our faith. Neglecting the desire to satisfy the lust of your flesh and mind allows us to be entirely available to abide with the Holy Spirit who empowers us to honor and love the Lord with a pure heart.

“What’s so wrong with benefiting from our walk with the Lord?” you ask.

The answer is…nothing.

It’s not wrong to benefit from the Lord; in fact it’s naturally going to happen when abiding close to Jesus Christ. The fact is it will happen so naturally that you don’t need to pursue it. Whenever one seeks to abandon self while still holding to the natural ambitions, they are torn between the conflict of their old nature and the spirit. The old nature holds us captive from moving fully into the liberty and new life God desires to generate within us. We see this illustrated with Orpah and Ruth. Orpah bailed on the awesome things God had in store and returned to the land of Moab, which is a picture of the flesh in the Old Testament. Ruth, however, commits to the Lord entirely, abandoning her familiarity and placing herself entirely in God’s hands.

Pursuing Jesus only for His blessings is not true abandonment. Pursuing Christ only for his blessings is satisfying a natural lust to benefit ourselves. To truly love a person is pursuing them to serve and honor them, not ourselves. This would be true abandonment to follow Christ.

It’s kind of like another story in the bible called “the prodigal son”. This kid looks at his dad and only loves what his dad has to offer, not the father himself. So he takes the blessings of the father and runs off selfishly indulging his own ambitions and desires, eventually finding that this type of lifestyle leads to a pig-pen of problems. He was empty and hungry, dirty and helpless, homeless and friendless. So the son realizes the need for his father and upon return encounters the “results” of being home. A ring, a robe, and a party…but I reckon these weren’t the things that really touched the heart of the prodigal son, he had known what it was to have rings, robes, and parties. It was the source of these gifts that was the factor of fulfillment. The love relationship of the father is what brought completion.

Oswald Chambers said this about abandonment to Jesus:

“Our Lord replies in effect, that abandonment is for Himself, and not for what the disciples themselves will get from it. Beware of an abandonment which has the commercial spirit in it—“I am going to give myself to God because I want to be delivered from sin, because I want to be made holy.” All that is the result of being right with God, but that spirit is not of the essential nature of Christianity. Abandonment is not for anything at all. We have got so commercialized that we only go to God for something from Him, and not for Himself. It is like saying, “No, Lord, I don’t want Thee, I want myself; but I want myself clean and filled with the Holy Ghost; I want to be put in Thy showroom and be able to say—“This is what God has done for me.”” If we only give up something to God because we want more back, there is nothing of the Holy Spirit in our abandonment; it is miserable commercial self-interest. That we gain heaven, that we are delivered from sin, that we are made useful to God—these things never enter as considerations into real abandonment, which is a personal sovereign preference for Jesus Christ Himself.

When we come up against the barriers of natural relationship, where is Jesus Christ? Most of us desert Him—“Yes, Lord, I did hear Thy call; but my mother is in the road, my wife, my self-interest, and I can go no further.” “Then,” Jesus says, “You cannot be my disciple.”

The test of abandonment is always over the neck of natural devotion. Go over it, and God’s own abandonment will embrace all those you had to hurt in abandoning. Beware of stopping short of abandonment to God. Most of us know abandonment in vision only.”

Oswald Chambers, Excerpt on Abandonment from “My Utmost for His Highest”

With this said I realize, as you probably do, that our abandonment to Jesus is often carried out with a selfish consumer mindset. May we be like Ruth, committed selflessly out of love and devotion to the person, and not the blessing.