April 1st 2012, I got a glimpse of You and I didn’t want to let You go. I gave You my heart then and vowed to love no other like You. God, You have been more than I could ever dreamed You could be. I don’t want to romanticize the Christian life because it has many valleys-moments, but Lord, there is nothing better in this world than being known by You and knowing You each day, each moment, each season. You are the steadiness in my marrow bones. You are the love that keeps me brave and full of joy. God, I love you more than words could explain and may my obedience forever show You my love.
So, 7 years in this walk with God and below are 7 things that I would tell that 19 years old girl who was so giddy of giving her life to God. The below could be a reminder for all of us at any stage of our walk with God.
Be serious in your pursuit of God
Nobody has ever drifted towards holiness. Since the fall, sin entered into the world and this means that even as born again Christians we still have to wrestle with our very DNA of sin. Our flesh drifts toward its wants and desires, it drifts toward death ultimately. Be intentional in carving out time to meet with God, this is how you kill each day your flesh and fade out the relentless voice of the enemy. After all, our first and great commandment is this: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with with all your mind.” Matthew 22:37 This doesn’t happen by wishing for it, it happens by making time.
Pursue God and forever taste the sweet delight of His presence and embrace.
Jesus is the Cornerstone and your all in all
Be careful, some born again Christians who started out so well, grow in the faith and start relying on themselves and their maturity. Please, never trust yourself no matter how mature you become. Heed to Paul’s warning, “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.” 1 Corinthians 10:12 God must remain your number one love until eternity. It’s so easy to fall into the “Christian lifestyle” and literally forget your Savior; sounds pathetic? You have done it and Christ has convicted you of it just like He did to the Church in Ephesus. This church was doing the godly Christian lifestyle but had forgotten who it was doing it for, namely its first love, which is God. “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lamp-stand from its place—unless you repent.” Revelation 2:2-5
I will say it again, just because you call yourself a Christian and have a “Christina lifestyle” doesn’t necessarily translate into having Jesus as your Cornerstone. Jesus is not interested in being your love, He desires to be your first love. For the sake of your soul, constantly evaluate yourself.
“Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence.” 1 Corinthians 10:12
Stay in the word
Be thankful that God has put such a fierce love in you for His Word but please don’t take it for granted. For the sake of your soul, never tire to open your mouth wide, so God can continuously fill it for that is His desire (Psalm 81:10). Through the Word you learn the rhythm of Your Father’s heart and only in knowing the rhythm of your Father’s heart will you know yours. Consistently be in the Word and see your heart and your life slowly but surely be molded into Your Father’s splendor and beauty. “Command and teach these things. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.” 1 Timothy 4:11, 15-16
Persist in staying in the Word and you will be “like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all you do, you will prosper.” Psalm 1:3
Pray, pray, and pray
No one has ever accomplished anything worthwhile for God without spending time with Him. Let that sink in.
Few Christians would honestly admit being proud of their prayer life. But how will we grow our affections for the Lord if we don’t take time to just be with Him? We are most useful to the Lord on our knees than serving Him. “Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42
God delights first and foremost in the state of our hearts not the works of our hands, and this should stir us up to treasure time with God. We don’t only pray to get answers from God but we also pray to get more of God. It’s in Luke 18 where Jesus “told them a parable to the effect that they ought to always pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1), but he ends the parable with the following, “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8)
Dear soul, always pray and never lose heart; our King is coming soon.
Obey, obey, and obey
There are 5 things you need to understand about obedience:
1. If you are not obeying God, it proves you don’t love Him (John 14:15).
2. Growth spurts out of obedience (1 Peter 2:8)
3. We are purified through obedience to the truth (1 Peter 1:22)
4. Who you obey shows who you serve (Joshua 24:14-15)
5. We learn obedience through suffering (Hebrews 5:8)
Without obedience to the Lord, we should altogether forget about being Christ-followers because how can I proclaim to honestly follow God if I am not obeying Him?
Without faith you will sink
“But 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” Hebrews 11:6.
Need I say more?
Enjoy God
There are Christians who serve God faithfully but they seem to have no joy serving Him, but how can this be, when “there is fullness of joy in His presence” Psalm 16:11?
Stay in God’s presence and you will not only always have joy but you will enjoy Him too.
Your heavenly Father is truly faithful dear heart. Stay faithful and persevere until you see His face. He promises to keep you in Him for eternity.
Happy anniversary, my forever first love, my God.