Abandon

A recurring theme keeps coming up in my study time - Abandonment. Until recently, I had never really stopped to think of how vital this concept is to having a relationship with God. Now, it seems to pop up everywhere I turn. About three weeks ago, in our class at church, our teacher opened the class discussion with something he said had been on his heart to share - abandonment. The class discussion that day was about giving from the heart, and at first I didn't see the relationship. But I began to quickly see that almost any topic within the realm of Christianity can be tied back to this one single concept. It is the key to living life for God.

Mark 8:34 (NIV) - Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

In the Amplified Bible, the explanation given for 'deny himself' is this: forget, ignore, disown, lose sight of himself and his own interests.

And what does He mean when He says we are to take up our cross? I believe my cross is to lay down my life, abandoning it for God. Not physically laying down my life, but putting aside my own ideas and desires, leaving them behind in exchange for what God wants for me. Why? Why would I do this? Aren't we taught from very early childhood to follow our dreams - be whatever we want to be? Why then would I want to abandon my dreams and ideas for the direction of my life in exchange for the unknown?

For myself, I have several answers to that question.

1 - Because I know that God is good, and that He is infinite wisdom. I know that He has dreamed bigger dreams for me than I could ever dream for myself. And I know that if I limit myself to only what I can come up with, I will surely miss out on something great. I do not want to be guilty of settling for good when I could have great.

2 - If I am to claim that God is God of my life, but I do not give Him my life, then He is not my God. If I am unwilling to let go of my life and trust it to Him, then I do not trust Him.

3 - It is the only thing I have to offer Him. What else do I have to bring to Him that He cannot take from me? He can take my money, my family, my health, my belongings, my job (if I had one LOL). There is nothing I can offer Him but me. My heart, my life to live for Him. Because He gives me free will, this is the one thing He will not take unless it is offered, yet it is what He wants from me the most. And He is worthy of everything I have to offer.

• Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name. Bring an offering and come before Him; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness and in holy array. (1 Chronicles 16:29, italics added)