Your Whole Selves

Yesterday, August 25, in our morning worship one of the corollary scriptures we referenced was Romans 12:1-2.  It is a hinge verse for the whole of Paul’s letter.  Almost everything Paul wrote leading up to Romans 12 was pointing to this crucial invitation.  The fulfillment of almost everything that comes after these two verses, rests upon the commitment we are being encouraged to make.  Let me offer a paraphrase of what the apostle Paul wrote, “In light of God’s loving mercy, I beg you, my sisters and brothers, to offer you whole selves – all that you are and all that you have – offer it all as a living sacrifice to God.  No longer be conformed to the patterns of this world, but submitting yourselves to a whole new understanding of what life is about, allow God to pour into you the blessings of His will – that which is for your ultimate good, that which is pleasing to Him.  This true worship.”

When we might be asked about whether or not we are Christians, followers of Jesus, the integrity of our answer rests upon this “all-in” commitment Paul articulated.  I cannot truly honor God, lift up the name of Jesus by only playing around on the edges of this kind of commitment.  I look back at the unfolding of my Christian journey and recognize that it truly began the evening I prayed, “Jesus, I am Yours.  Fill my life with Your Spirit.  Shape my character after Your will.  I give my whole self to You.”  I meant everything I said.  But in the years that have come after that commitment, I have discovered that saying, “I give my whole self to You,” needs constant updating.  I thought I was giving my whole self to Him 50 years ago, only to discover 10 years later, 20 years later, and now 50 years later, that giving my whole self to Him means a more complete surrender than I thought it meant.  There are areas of my life that I have held back, not intentionally, but without truly understanding what they were.  I suppose my initial prayer should have been, “As best as I understand it today, I give my whole self to You,” recognizing that some tomorrow God will reveal my need for a deeper and more complete surrender.  The writer of Hebrews gave us this, “The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirt, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  No creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”  (Hebrews 4:12-13) When the day of accounting arrives, I hope we can say, “I gave my whole self to You, and then more, and then more, and then more, right up to the end.”

It has been a privilege to be with you all over these last two months.  I count myself blessed because of the times we have shared. You have been welcoming and gracious, and for that I am grateful. I know you will be pleased that Pastor Brian Johnson will be back with you this coming Sunday, September 1.  May God’s grace continue to be poured out upon you.

Paul Walles