Be My Everything

Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.

Ezekiel 36:26-27

...."I will put MY Spirit within you...." Like many great moments God and I have together, this one began in a song. A truth that I really needed to hear and was having trouble really grasping lit up. Listen to this song....

    Christ in me! All the time I pray, "Christ may you be seen in me today above all else. May others see you before they see me." However, truly grasping that concept of Christ being seen in every move I make and radiating through me was hard for me to picture. Until I heard this prayer....

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,

Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ on my right, Christ on my left,

Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,

Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.

(St. Patrick)

    How vivid of a picture is that? God has put His Spirit inside of me, who causes me to walk in His ways (Christ in my walking, lying down, rising up, etc.), which then causes me to listen and be submissive to all He commands me to do. As a result of that, Christ is seen in me, heard in me, and shone through me. 

   How often I try to do it on my own! I become so consumed in myself and try to make myself look good and put together on the outside. This is where I fall short so desperately. If Christ was truly my EVERYTHING: my greatest desire, number one thought, God in my living, walking, waking, sleeping, resting, working, thinking, speaking, hoping, dreaming, watching, waiting, laughing, weeping, hurting, healing, MY LIFE... then how different would my life look? Every aspect would reflect Christ, and no one would be able to say my name without associating Christ along with it. And that is exactly the way it should be. Such truth in such a simple song and such a powerful piece of scripture. The prayer above should be my prayer daily. God is so good, and I love it when He speaks to me! 

     I pray Christ has given you that new heart and that He is your everything.

Passion for the Kingdom

Colossians 3:2

Set your mind on things above, not on the things that are on earth.

      Lately I've been struggling with selfish thoughts. Not bad selfish thoughts. Just selfish thoughts, period. I get wrapped up in what is going on, what is new, what is exciting, what is happening tomorrow.... What will I be doing, when is this going to happen, I want to be there now. 
      But then the Holy Spirit quickly puts this verse in my head. Colossians 3:2. But why? Duh, Katie, your mind is in the wrong place. Not even that, it's that I have the wrong mindset. Because that's what this piece of scripture is really saying.
     The other morning I decided to dissect this passage a little and see where Paul was coming from. Let's begin.
          Set Your Mind (Phroneo) :to set one's mind on; to be devoted to.
                                                          having a mindset.
                                                          involves the will, affections, and 
                                                            conscience.
                                                          to excercise the mind
                                                          intensive to interest oneself in. 
                                                           (with concern or obedience)
                              synonyms: katanoeo-to perceive fully, to comprehend.
                                                 epistamai-to know well
               Above (Ano) : heavenly or divine things.
                                        upward or on the top; above, brim, high up.
                                        in a higher place.
                                        referred to heaven.
                              synonyms: hupsistos- Most High
             Earth (Ghay) :upon earthly things or pertaining to this life.
                                        soil; solid part of the terrain or globe.
                                        country, earth, ground, land, world.
                                     (including the occupants in each application)
                              synonyms: kosmos- the earth, but primarily the 
                                                 people who dwell on the earth.
     
      Why is it important to know this? 
          Scripture isn't just telling us to set our minds on things above; it is telling us to be devoted to the things of heaven, the things that concern God, the things that make His heart break, the things that move Him with compassion, the things that matter most for the Kingdom. Is my mindset there? Am I devoted to the things that matter most for the Kingdom? Not lately, that's for sure, if I may be real with you. I get so wrapped up in what makes ME excited and matters to ME. Then this verse comes up, and instantly I find myself turning it into a prayer, asking God to humble me and put me in my place (where I belong)
          Notice the last part. Not on things on earth. In the Greek (or Hebrew, I'm not sure...) it mentions the people of the earth. Isn't that what drives us the most on earth? The approval and favor of man? Acceptance and love? Yes, we're very materialistic people here in America, but isn't the desire for those material things because someone else had them, and we didn't? 
            I think that's why God's made my heart cry missions. Because otherwise, I'd be lost in the earthly things and be another statistic. When I start focusing too much on this world and my desires, often an image, such as the one above, will come to mind, of children like Tanya and Evelina, to humble me and help me realize why I'm here and what my purpose is. That's what moves God with compassion: love for the lost and hearts for the hurting. Reaching out to serve the least of these. Why isn't my mind on that?
          Paul talks about this as well in Philippians 3, saying that he counts everything as garbage compared to knowing Christ. Man, how I want to be there! But I'm not. Yet. It's such a convicting passage, and also a very motivating one. What compels us more than the Gospel? Nothing should. 
         So that is my struggle. Being devoted to the Most High, and not to the things pertaining to this life. I'm seeking and striving to be there, and I know with that same power that raised Christ from the dead living in me, I can do it.