What will be taken from me?

http://bible.com/116/isa.2.15-17.nlt He will break down every high tower and every fortified wall.
He will destroy all the great trading ships and every magnificent vessel.
Human pride will be humbled, and human arrogance will be brought down. Only the Lord will be exalted on that day of judgment.

High towers and fortified walls speak of things that man not only takes pride in,  but those things that we look to as our source of security. For some who are prosperous, a source of security may be savings,  wealth, insurance policies,  and retirement plans. For some who are motivated and entrepreneurial, a source of security may motivation,  abilities, and charisma. For some who are frugal,  a source of security may be self-discipline and meager living. For some who are carefree,  a source of security may be abandoning all concern for the future and chasing pleasure and immediate gratification by ignoring and denying the possibility of any future cost or consequences.

But,  you see,  each of these is an idol of self. In each of these we have placed our confidence in ourselves and not in God. These things will be taken from us, and we will be humbled if we are not yet humble and ready for their departure from our lives. We will also eventually encounter the consequences for our actions and thoughts and deeds. We will have to answer and account for our own lives,  because justice isn’t about us escaping payment through salvation. There is a price paid. There is a debt due.

In a world that tells us that it’s all about me, that sell me an idea that, “You deserve this even though you can’t afford it. But it now and pay for it later.” A world that sells the children of God into slavery to the lender – a deceptive kind of slavery where the shackles and the beatings and the oppression are still there but they are masked under the guise of helping.

You see,  the enemy is great at wrapping up traps and handing them to us in beautiful packages. But anything offered to us that is not loving and praising and worshipping and serving and trusting and believing in the Lord, God Almighty – it is an idol being offered to us so we will take our eyes of of God and place our trust,  our confidence, or adoration, our hope,  in something other than God.

I’m not saying that we cannot enjoy those things that are blessings in our lives. No, blessings are meant to be enjoyed and managed wisely for His glory and honor. But blessings can just as easily be turned into burdens if we are not willing to set them down,  to surrender everything to God because we acknowledge that it is all His and we are just managing what He had entrusted us to oversee.

If we have something in our lives that if God were to take it away, we would be bitter towards God, then we haven’t yet fully surrendered our lives to Him. And it isn’t just things that we set up as idols in our lives.  Sometimes idols can be people,  too. Yes, it is hard to imagine losing the things and ones that we care about, but friend,  it is going to happen. Things are going to rust and rot away. People are going to leave us or for and be absent from our lives. Even nations and banks and wealth will eventually fail us. None of it is able to go to the grave with a single one of us.

So what is it today that I haven’t surrendered to God in my life today? What can I not say, God,  even if you took _____________ from me that you know that is important to me, I will still love you and serve you. And I’m not encouraging you to test God by making a promise that you cannot keep in your heart – so don’t day it unless you mean it.

But if you can’t yet say it about something,  I encourage you to pray, Lord, I am beginning to understand that I have made _____________ an idol in my life. I am starting to understand that instead of a fully surrendered life, married to you in my heart, and faithful to you as my Lord and Savior – I am playing the harlot. I am proving myself unfaithful to you as my one love by running into the arms of an idol. Lord, help me learn to love you first in my life, give me the strength to live a surrendered life. I surrender my life to you,  today Lord,  knowing that I need your strength to do this. I cannot do this alone. Please,  send me your Holy Spirit to live inside of me and top teach me and convict me against sin, so that I will become more like my teacher, so that I will live more like Christ. And I do this to honor and praise you,  Lord,  because you are worthy of praise and honor and glory and power. Amen.

If you prayed this today, I encourage you to pray daily,  surrendering your life to Christ anew each day. I encourage you to lift your voices,  your lives,  and even your generosity as a living sacrifice to the Lord each day. If you see someone that needs help,  whether it is an encouraging word or a helping hand,  remember that you are the body that Christ will use today to show His love to the world.

Let’s surrender our idols,  and let’s walk in His will today friends.

Let’s see His Kingdom work being done on earth even through our own lives.

Let’s be the change that this world so dearly needs,  that we so dearly desire.

Let’s learn to love God and to be faithful.

Let’s learn to be Christ-like, not just Christ likers.

Because either He has paid the price for us and we are His,  and we have much to be thankful and grateful for – or the debt is still due. Don’t wait until judgement to see your debt paid,  friends. The price is too high,  and I fear we cannot bear it. Surrender your life to Christ today,  and have your debt paid in full by the blood of the Lamb.

Know forgiveness.
Know renewal.
Know healing.

Let your debt be what is taken from you friends. Let your chains of slavery be lifted. Let your burdens be laid down. Give it all to Him. Let Him take it away.

Bless you,  beloved.  Have a wonderful day!