SOLD OUT

   Exodus 10:1-12:13; Matthew 20:1-28; Psalm 25:1-15; Proverbs 6:6-11

“Finally, Pharaoh called for Moses. ‘Go and worship the Lord,’ he said. ‘But leave your flocks and herds here. You may even take your little ones with you.’  ‘No,’ Moses said, ‘you must provide us with animals for sacrifices and burnt offerings to the Lord our God.  All our livestock must go with us, too; not a hoof can be left behind.’”      

“But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

“O Lord, I give my life to you.  I trust in you, my God!...  Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow.
 … All day long I put my hope in you.
 The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness
all who keep his covenant and obey his demands.”

It seems God has this uncomfortable notion that faith is an all-or-nothing proposition.  He certainly doesn’t leave much room for those who want to hedge our bets.  We either commit fully, or it’s as if we have not committed at all.  We give up all place and position, or it is as if we have given up none.  We follow Him totally, or we remain lost.  AARRRGGHHH!  Where’s the balance, Lord?  Where’s the moderation?

This may seem harsh to some, and sound like downright zealotry to others, but I am beginning to think concepts like balance and moderation are dangerous for Christians.  Jesus clearly never addresses faith in those terms, and with good reason: He promises (warns of?) abundant life instead!  Jesus wants us to quit kidding ourselves and stop holding back.  For example, I have said no to Christ many times because I already was “too busy” or “too tired” or “too – can you see the irony in this? – overcommitted.”  I really was too distracted, too lazy, or too unfocused.  Worst of all, I was not giving the Spirit any chance at all to empower me. 

Consider whether Jesus may have been quite literal in calling us to give Him our whole lives, so His can empower us instead.  Not in a physical sense, necessarily, but in a spiritual sense.  He wants to live in us, and He knows, better than we, that our “selfs” make lousy roommates.  When it comes to matters of the heart, Scripture seems pretty clear that we either evict self completely or hang a “No Vacancy” sign on our souls.

“…Not one hoof can be left behind.”  I love the imagery in that.  Minus any hoof, the sacrifice is irreparably damaged and is not to be offered to God.  No wonder we scoff at those who “drag their feet;” there’s a bit of divine understanding in our collective psyche, whatever our religion, or lack of it.  No one likes a half-done job, or a lukewarm reception.  Why do we think Christ any different?  It is illogical to think that the One who gave it all would ever be appreciative of anything less in His followers.  Yet still, we most often offer Him only leftovers and “spare” time.  Christ deserves better than that!  He calls us to a much greater adventure than that!  He wants us “sold out!” to Him.