Acts 20:24 – However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.
Truly I have a deep desire to be doing the works that God has for me to do (Ephesians 2:10, Luke 2:49). We people of the earth wonder what the purpose of our lives are. Perhaps I did in the past before coming to the Lord? However I truly began wondering what the purpose of my life is after becoming born again through faith in Jesus our Savior and Lord. I had been saved and then what? Being a new babe in Christ I knew what I wanted. I wanted every bit of God that was available to me. Anything He would give me is what I wanted. I wanted to pray and to hear the response of God. Crying I pleaded to have God live in me and change me. To let His Spirit flow into and through me and to be used of God as He has used so many believers before me was huge. As I realized that we walk in a dark world I sought to be a little lamp that draws people the Light of the World (John 8:12, Matthew 5:16). My goal in life was to never leave the presence of God and to never stop doing His will. I’m sure that most of us thought and felt the same. I am quick to state that I still think and feel the same way. Doing the work of God is what foremost that matters to me. The particulars about life I leave up to God that I may serve Him in faith without worry in my heart and mind.
Am I able to truly profess that my life is worth nothing to me and that my only goal is to faithfully do what God has for me to do. Yes, and no. Yes, because serving God truly is what I most love to do. But no because I am weak. Like the Apostles who slept when they should have been alert due to imminent danger, I really want to always do well, I really want to always be a blessing to all, but my flesh is weak (Mark 14:38). They faltered in work God had for them to then do. Sometimes I also do. Yes, my flesh is weak, or perhaps my flesh remains too strong within me and sometimes overtakes what my heart craves and knows what is best. I do desire to do well, but I too often fall short. Paul wrote “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” (Romans 7:15) A mortal wound against my flesh was struck in the Garden of Eden and it does cling to me as it dies. Yet, my spirit is born again, revived, through Jesus Christ. (John 3:3). So my flesh belongs to the world, but my spirit to God. The war between the two is constant.
Though the war between the two is constant, the victor has already been declared. The victor is my spirit that belongs to God through the grace He has provided. My heart continuously pursues God as it is encouraged and guided by the Holy Spirit who has sealed me to God. I thank God that He values what my heart desires more than what by flesh does, just as He did with King David (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22, Jeremiah 17:10). Not that God is indifferent to what is the product of the flesh, but He judges it against the heart and intent in our minds (Revelation 2:23). We know that Jesus said “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21). We know that if our hearts and minds are fixed on evil, then evil will flow from us and if the things of God, then that will flow from us. (Luke 6:45, Ezekiel 11:21).
It is true that I value pleasing God and being with Him more than I value the life of my flesh. Sadly, sometimes the flesh wins. Sometimes I selfishly do what I desire to do rather than what I know the Lord would have me do. Pleasing God is always better than doing what the flesh wants to do. Praise God for His love that has given us His grace that is extended to all through Jesus Christ. I am not devaluing the life God has given me. I am devaluing what my will is versus what God’s will is. I have learned that God’s will is where the best and eternal blessing is. I love God and I want to please Him so I want to do what He wants me to do. Most of the time. Praise God who loves and keeps me in spite of me. Praise God!
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 – May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. Oh yes, thank you Jesus! Thank you God Almighty.! Thank you!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.