Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday. Psalm 37:5-6
One of the tricks our mind tries to play on us is the interpretation of Scripture to meet its preferences, and prejudices. This is perfectly normal… for the carnal mind.
But, we have the mind of Christ. We are empowered and responsible to think differently.
Consider Psalm 37:5-6. My carnal mind would prefer “commit your way to the LORD” to mean, “Here is my plan God, please bless it.” My carnal mind will pursue this line of thinking, hidden away in my subconscious. To avoid this deception, I must be diligent in my suspicion of the way my mind is thinking.
Jesus came to help us with that. His expression of Psalm 37:5-6 is “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” It is important to note that Jesus made them disciple makers. That’s a lesson for another time. The point here is that God’s planning process is a following and making process.
Let me be clear: Failing to follow Jesus will result in the failure of God’s plan for you. Refusing to be made is a refusal of His plan.
Jesus also said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” Our carnal minds work hard to dismiss this requirement altogether.
It is for our good that we recognize and embrace – right here at the beginning – that God’s planning process requires sacrifice; including the absolute death of our old man.
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20
That we died on the cross with Jesus is an undeniable fact and mystery. The challenge for us is: Will we choose to live out of that truth and Life, or live for ourselves? It is a “me or Him” decision.
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. Mark 8:35
When you think about it, in light of Scripture, this all makes sense. Christians are followers of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ lived a life of sacrifice and death. He has sent us as the Father sent Him (John 20:21).
Logically speaking, nothing in life is free. The most valuable things are worth the greatest investment. Our carnal minds would like to suggest otherwise; but we know better.
God bless you with grace and courage to follow our King; and love Him sacrificially.
Humbly yours and forever His,
Rob