More Insight

Insight

(Dragonfly Ministries President, Mary Hamrick)

January 2003

We had severe weather this week.  The tornado sirens blared, the sky turned dark and the rain pelted down.  My husband was home with the children, and they went into a safe place to wait out the storm. 

Two days after this event, my son Daniel told me, “Mom, during the tornado warning, I put your book in my pocket and took it with me to the closet because I know you read that book every day.”  I asked, “Which book?”  His answer, “My Almost for His Hugest”.  What a precious child to concern himself with protecting something that was dear to me, even in the face of possible danger.  But I had to laugh to myself.  I do read Oswald Chamber’s daily devotional, “My Utmost for His Highest” every day, and I enjoy the depth of spiritual insight that Mr. Chambers shares in this book.  But Daniel’s misinterpretation of the title tickled me -  “My Almost for His Hugest.”

As I thought on his words, I couldn’t help but apply the misinterpreted title to real life, and I found a very close alignment with the way we often view God.  Our prayers may be something like this: “Dear God, I want to give my life to you – not all of it, though.  It’s almost my entire self, but I want to hold on to some areas that are comfortable for me, and I want to hold on to some areas that bring me pleasure, and I want to hold on to some things that give me security.  But I’ll give the rest to you and you can have almost all of me.  And Lord, in exchange for giving almost all of myself to You, I would like for You to bless me with the most wonderful blessings of life - the hugest thing that You can think of.  So, Lord, bring it on.  Give me the hugest blessings that You have.”

Does that prayer make you smile or grimace?  I do a little of both because I’ve felt that way on occasion and during certain periods of my life.  But I’ve learned (and am still learning) that the only way to the real blessings of life – the plan that God has chosen for us – is to give Him our all.  Our Utmost.  Our everything.  We don’t need to hang on to those false securities, for in Him, we find our security.  “The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.”  Psalm 34:10

We don’t need to hang on to those things that give us comfort, for in Him, is more comfort than we’ll ever need.  “May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant.”  Psalm 119:76  “For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.”  2 Corinthians 1:5

We don’t need to hang on to the material things or habits that bring us pleasure, for those are the pleasures of the world, and they are temporal.  The Bible teaches us, "The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age." Titus 2:11-12

A better prayer would be:

Even though we may lack the faith and courage to give our all to the Lord, our utmost for His highest, we can ask Him to plant the desire in our hearts to give Him our all.  And He will do just that.  He changes us from the inside out … one moment at a time, one process at a time, one situation at a time.  His desire is that we be as Christ, gentle and humble, and that we exhibit the characteristics of Christ, “Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Colossians 3:12. 

If we will allow Him to change us, one step at a time, He will. But we must invite Him to change us and we must be willing for changes to be made.  Our prayers, no matter how silently uttered, are heard and answered.  As we begin to allow Him to work in our hearts and our inner lives, we will see great changes take place in us and in those around us.

Let’s commit during 2003 to give him – not our almost for his hugest, but our Utmost for His Highest.  Our best for His glory.

Happy New Year.

Mary