To Live or Not To Live ... Radically

WHAT IF ... we really trusted in His amazing love for us?
WHAT IF ... we truly never feared being let down by Him?
WHAT IF ... we believed without abandon?
WHAT IF ... we gave without thinking of lack?
WHAT IF ... we finally forgave without judgment or fear of being hurt again?
WHAT IF ... honoring Him was foremost on our minds?
WHAT IF ... we surrendered to Him everything, once and for all?
WHAT IF ... we stopped looking to the world and finally looked to Him Alone?
WHAT IF ... we expected His best instead of accepting what the world considers "the best"?

Truly, finally and really ... for ourselves, our spouses, our children, family, friends and strangers?

What would be possible? How different would our lives and the lives of those around us be? Are we ever really going to "just believe" Him? (Mark 5:36)

You may read these questions and think to yourself, "I'm ok there."or "I'm pretty good at that one." and you may be, I'm speaking as much for myself as I am anyone else. You could also be thinking, "This is silly - that's not what God expects from us." Again, maybe you're right. But I would like to suggest something here, I believe these are things God hopes from us. After all, He died to show us His love, to give us His perfect salvation including, His peace, His joy, His provision for all things. ALL He asks is that we "believe" Him. That we "choose" Him over all else.

"Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." Romans 10:17, this we know, so we read our Bibles. But we're still missing it, and by "we", I also mean me. :) He has to become part of us so much that nothing causes us to waver. Believing in Him comes from our hearts, from our faith in His love for us and then our trust in His word. When we doubt His love, we also doubt His word and it's truth, so we negate His power, His salvation, in our lives.

No matter which way you slice it, it always goes back to, "Just believe." Our hearts and minds have to be so saturated with Him that we think of Him first in every situation, that we believe Him first. Sounds easy. But I'd venture to say, very few of us are there. I'm one of them.

In my heart and more importantly in my spirit, I KNOW there's a place, a life, where lack does not exist in any form; be it health, peace, strength, joy -- I Know His provision is perfect. I can see a life where my family and friends are all heaven bound and we are walking in His glory every day, fulfilling His beautiful plan for our lives.

Some may call this "immature", or "wishful thinking", or "impossible". We are all so busy being responsible grown ups, so busy thinking rationally that we forget and even dismiss people who really think like God thinks, but I'll tell you this, this kind of thinking can not come a carnal mind, from a mind of flesh; it can not come from this world. His realm is different from our earthly realm. His reality is MUCH different from ours. (Praise God!) And it's by this "immature" child - like faith that we will enter it. (Matthew 18:3)

God can do anything, you know? (Eph. 3:20)

Sometimes while studying and praying with Him, I'm hit right-between-the-eyes with these kinds of questions and I'm reminded of all He came to give and of His heart's desire for us to choose Him, just so that He can give us the Kingdom (Luke 12:32). And I want it, don't you? I want to live as "more than a conqueror." I know that in this world we have struggles, but I want to go into every battle Knowing I have already won. I want to see Him "move mountains". It is my heart's cry to exalt Him in all I do, say and think, to draw people to Him, to be a display of more of Him and less of me. I so hope to be a walking example of His unfailing love, to be a blessing everywhere I go and to everyone I meet. I want to believe Him with all my heart and with NO reservation what-so-ever, with no thoughts of embarrassment for myself or thoughts of acceptance from others. I want that - Everything He is and has and all He desires for me. I want it for myself, for my husband, my boys, my family and all the people around me. And I know you do, too.

It's ours. It's already here for us. But the "IF" lies with us. Will we take it? Will we believe? Will we receive Him and all His hope for us?

Pressing in again. Radically. :)

I’m sure now I’ll see God’s goodness in the exuberant earth. Stay with God! Take heart. Don’t quit. I’ll say it again: Stay with God. Ps. 27:13