Commitment: a pledge or agreement to do something; the state or an instance of being obligated or emotionally impelled.
Commitment is a bit intense.
Well, sometimes.
American culture these days feels like a walking contradiction of commitment. We will commit to letting apps access our phones without blinking. We will wrestle with committing to an 8 week class at church. We will commit to watching a certain new episode at the same night and time every week from September to May! But we hesitate when they ask us to commit to helping every fifth Sunday in children’s church.
Humans are fickle. And God has a tendency to call us out on it. Joshua confronts the people Israel. They have seen and experienced the rescue of God! And yet they still waver. They still go back and forth between serving the true God and serving the many false gods of their previous heritage. Joshua basically says enough is enough, make a choice. Either serve the God of truth or serve your false gods, but stop being lukewarm, tossed to and fro. Commit.
Thankfully, the people Israel commit to serving God. They choose honoring Him with their lives and their families.
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Jesus later confronts the disciples, the beloved twelve, in the conclusion of John chapter 6. Many were uncomfortable with his raw truth and fall away. It’s too hard. It’s too confusing. It’s too much. But Peter’s stunning response reveals the reckless abandon of his commitment, reveals the state of his heart.
Lord, where would we go? You have the words of eternal life.
What comes out when Holy Spirit confronts you, when you get that gentle conviction? Do you sway between what your flesh wants and what your spirit knows to be true? Do you fall away, choosing the things of this world instead?
We are all guilty, myself included, of turning a deaf ear at times. We are simply too tired, too weary, stretched too thin, pulled on by too many people, fearful of too many things, anxious about meeting too many expectations….and so we choose to check out. We turn on the TV, flip through social media, or simply stay too busy.
As we journey together to have a sweet fragrance before the Lord, I believe He is challenging us to pay attention to our choices. He’s calling us to leave our former life and follow Him, right? So we need to put Him first. We need to cleave to Him, instead of our earthly life.
In Ephesians chapter 5 we are reminded that man leaves his father and mother and cleaves to his wife, becoming united with her. Just as Christ has left heaven and is united with the Church.
Christ is here. He has made the ultimate commitment to you. Are you willing?
Father God, we adore you. We crave your presence in this very moment. We bless the Lord who advises us, for even at night we are instructed in the depths of our mind! Instruct us on the path before us. Lead us not into temptation, but alight the path of divine encounter for us this week. We pray that when Holy Spirit calls us we will follow, that our choices would be for You and not our weakness. Today, this week, Father God, we choose to serve the Lord. Help us to do so with grace and strength. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The readings appointed for Sunday August 22:
Psalm 16; Joshua 24:1-2. 14-25; Ephesians 5:21-33; John 6:60-69.
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