The Master of My Fate

O’ Foolish Man….Choose

 

Ps 14:1  The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.

Our stubborn hearts, ruled by  stubborn deceived minds have convinced us that “No one can tell us what to do”; while all along our minds are ruled by this world.

Every breath we breathe is ordained of the Lord.  Every beat of our heart is a result of His authority over life.  Every decision we make is a choice of our desire or compliance.  Every decision ruled either by the world or by the divine order of God.

What a foolish man…the man who believes that he is the master of his own fate.   There are only two masters in this life, God or the World.  Which will you call Lord and Master.

Josh 24:15  But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord."

Taking A Second Look - (older post)

                                          He is my Everything
                                          He is my All
                                          He is my Everything
                                          Both great and small
                                          His life He gave for me
                                          Made everything new
                                          He is my Everything
                                          Friend how about you?

I was just looking back over the 'scribbles' I have shared on this blog and was struck by the text of "Everything or Nothing".   Maybe I just needed to read it again for my own spiritual well-being, but I am posting it again just in case it might touch someone else.

~~~Mom always told me to give my best-nothing less, to recognize my strengths and my weaknesses. I know that she was referring to my education, my job, or whatever I set out to accomplish in life. Those are wise parental words - I gave the same instruction to all of my children and will no doubt share that same 'wisdom' with my grandchildren at some point. Give life your best and nothing less! Through the years I have found that those instructions are even more important when it comes to living for God.
He is my Everything, how can I give Him less than my all. You say my all isn't much! You're correct! He knows my beginning and my ending; my faults and my failures; the best of me and the worst of me and He wants all of it. In His hands my faults and my failures can become my greatest victories! In His Hands my broken, scarred soul is molded into a new vessel. What shall I do with this new vessel? You see I gave Him everything! He gave it all back to me and asked me to allow Him to fill my vessel and use it to reach a world that needs Him. The decision was mine. I chose to give my all or give Him nothing, now He is my Everything. What will you do with your everything?  ~~~

I am reminded of a phrase found in scripture where Jesus tells the disciples to go into the city and in a certain place they would find a young 'donkey' tied up.  They were to tell it's owner that the Master had need of it.  Well, today we each have something 'tied up' that the 'Master has need of ' -- He needs our 'everything'...and only we can loose the ties that keep it from Him.

Humpback Whales and a Limited God

 

Ps 78:41  Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.  KJV

Whales are born with an innate sense of direction – genetically programmed to recognize their waters and migration routes;  genetically programmed to know the way.   They are genetically programmed to travel the same routes to and from their feeding and breeding grounds each year of their lives.  They are created by a God who made a safe haven for them and gave them the innate sense of survival.  How then does such a genetically designed creature become so lost and disoriented as to leave the waters where they were born - salty, open ocean waters  - and travel into a small bay, then into a river delta and up the river.   How is it they leave the salt water they need for their health and the food chain they depend on for nourishment and travel into foreign places that offer them no benefits?  And yet it happens, a mystery that has stumped marine biologist.  

As in the life of the whales so it is in that we humans are born with an innate sense of survival.  We know where safety lies, we can read the warning labels and the road signs and yet we become distracted, taking wrong turns along the highway of life.  We venture into dangerous foreign territory in spite of all the warning signs.  We think we can pick our way safely through the pits and cliffs that fill the way.

Our Creator watches from His throne and ponders our predicament but He is limited in His response.  You might say our God has no limits, is all powerful, and omnipotent but you would be incorrect.  God is merciful and compassionate; He is all powerful and omnipotent but he is also a gentleman.  He is wounded by our self-will; but He will not force His will on His creation.  If we have left the paths of His Mercy and Grace,  turning around and coming home to His safe haven must be voluntary, our choice.  He is God but He is limited by our will, by our choices.  He will nudge us in the right direction sometimes gently and sometimes not so gently, but the choice to turn around and follow is ours.

If you have ever seen the lost whale you know that any number of people rush in to rescue the whale and help him find his way back to safe waters.  You will also know that despite the best efforts of man the whale must cooperate by turning around and swimming back to safety.   If man has wandered into unsafe places, left the purposed path God has designed for His child then like the whale he must cooperate with the rescuers.  Family and friends may pray for them and with them but only they can make the turn that takes them back to safety.