Abandonment

Letting go.

Everything in this world instructs us to hold on. To believe in self. Think for ourselves. Make decisions based on wise advice from others and what "life" has taught us. To conquer and keep conquering in order that we may experience true happiness. To be organized. To follow a plan, a lifestyle.

What if we were to let go.

That feeling you get when you are driving all alone with the windows wide open, the breeze playing with the strands of your hair, your voice raised to our Lord, an overwhelming sense of joy, delight, excitement exudes you, only to be lifted directly in praise to God. He splashes a brilliant sunset off to your left, dusk makes way for its first star, you sense yourself in His presence alongside His angels, the four living creatures and 24 elders... A moment where you feel once and for all doing exactly what you were created for. You yield to His Spirit...

Abandonment.

You cry out, "Father, you are real! You are awesome and glorious and deserve all praise! I humbly come before you seeking you and only you. Father, use me. Guide me in your steps, show me your way Lord. I want nothing else, but to lean in close to you in the shelter and shadow of your strength to hear you say, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.' No one is greater than the Lamb of God, no one is greater than He who is called faithful and true. I love you Lord, show me your will for my life. Praise and honor and glory and power be unto you. Thank you, Jesus!"

No organization to it. No seeking self. The only requirement... FAITH.

Recently, my eyes were opened to the realization that faith is very important to God. It seems like a "duh" idea, but so many of us, including myself really don't completely surrender to God and have complete faith in Him with the big and small things in life.

When Jesus taught and lived on earth he didn't acknowledge the intelligence of his disciples or followers, he wasn't amazed at someones wealth or status, he wasn't astonished by the abilities of his disciples and followers. You might be thinking he wasn't really amazed by anything, He is God, nothing could amaze God- He has seen it all... You are mistaken.

Jesus was amazed by faith. Astonished even! Astonished means to be filled with sudden wonder or amazement.

In Matthew chapter 8, verse 5, a centurion came to Jesus asking for help. The centurion's servant is paralyzed and experiencing terrible suffering. Jesus responds by telling the centurion he will go and heal the servant. The centurion responds to Jesus' reply by saying,

"Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one. 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." (Matt. 8:8-9)

Immediately the centurion recognizes that Jesus is no ordinary man...He is God in the flesh. This is made known when he calls Jesus, "Lord" and follows it by saying, "I do not deserve to have you come under my roof."

You see, Jesus had already told him he would heal his servant. The centurion, however, wanted to take the time to acknowledge and declare his faith in Jesus. This is one of those windows down, cruising down the highway moments, with nothing but you seeking the Lord in complete abandonment, recognizing He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords moments.

Listen to how Jesus replies to the centurion's humble statement...

"When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, 'I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith." (Matt. 8:10)

He was amazed by the centurion's faith.

Jesus acknowledged the faith of his followers. He made a point to acknowledge a lack of faith and he blessed or rewarded those who had it.

Not once does he say, "I have not found anyone in Israel with such great knowledge or ability to manage their money or great organization- you fill in the blank."

He is amazed by our faith. Not part time faith. Full time, complete abandonment, letting go faith. Not just a once in a car ride moment, all the time.

"Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, 'Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven." (Matt. 9:2)

He acknowledges our faith.

"Jesus turned and saw her. 'Take heart, daughter,' he said, 'your faith has healed you.' And the woman was healed from that moment." (Matt. 9:22)

In Mark 6:6 Jesus is amazed at their lack of faith.

Over and over Jesus acknowledges faith.

It seems weird or not normal to constantly seek God's favor in all of our decisions. It is completely against what the world teaches us. But in everything, great and small, Jesus would like us to seek Him, to seek the will of the Father. Some things God directly speaks of in His Word. We know that it would be silly to say, "Lord, should I cheat on my final exam?" or "Lord, I really want _______, should I steal it?"

It seems weird to wake up and it be natural to live out your day constantly seeking God, yet it is what God so greatly desires of us.

We are promised in God's Word that in the end we will be rewarded for our faith.

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." (Hebrews 11:1)

Live by faith, not by sight.

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." (Hebrews 11:6)

"Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life." (Revelation 2:10)

Seek, seek, seek Him! Go after Him like a child. If you have ever experienced a child clinging to you and finding sense of without-a-doubt security in you or maybe you recall a time in your childhood when you clung to mom, dad, grandma or grandpa, knowing they would protect you from the scary guy on the sidewalk, or the dark night, or the bad nightmare looming in your memory. God desires that kind of abandonment. Seek Him, cling to Him, call on His Spirit, when you get to those "Should I??" moments, don't rely on your wisdom to make the decision, rely on God's.

Hear Him saying, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."