“Love the Lord your God, with all of your heart, all your soul and all of your mind. The second is like it: to love your neighbor as yourself. All of the law hangs on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:34-40
Aside from Jesus and family, few things in this life parallel a race towards the crown of righteousness. I would have to say helping someone else run their relay comes close. But, up until recently, I did not give anything away without having a backup plan. For most of my saved life I have felt a great deal of responsibility handling finances and the proper management of the tool God has intended that to be. On more than one occasion, I have allowed stewardship to trump obedience and have passed on the opportunity to go big for the comfort of going home. After all, a fallback is wise and required to keep the boat in the race. Today however, the Lord is leading in a different direction and as scary as it can be to admit it, I don’t know if the reserve is actually needed.
God has graciously given me the store house manager position of the Vineyard. It stands without doubt in both mind and heart Who actually owns the Arboretum. I show up to work, and He gently reminds me of Who the race is for and just what a vapor this life really is. As I pass another bag of grapes across the counter, Jesus Himself leans in and says “there’s more where that came from. Have fun, for I love a cheerful giver.” Christ made Himself nothing and counted me as significant. His bottomless cup pours eagerly into mine. His generosity remains unprecedented. I’m inebriated by the fact that He has willingly adopted me, taken my place and provided beyond my wildest dreams. Praise God for his lessons on giving. Praise God for his use of gold as road pavement in heaven. Praise God for His reminder of what a mist this life really is. And, praise God the earth and everything in it belongs to Him. He alone is worthy, now and forever, and this house will praise the Lord no matter how many times I am stretched beyond all recognizable limits of comprehension and solace.
Daily, I hear the Holy Spirit calling me to be a funnel. No sooner is that spoken do I hear God’s gentle push to wash feet and remember “with Me at the helm, you don’t need a Plan B.”
Here’s to living uncomfortably, giving things away and remaining completely dependent on my Heavenly Father as I continue the pursuit of growing closer to my Abba and being “poured out like a drink offering.”
