Are you all in?

Are you all in? That seems to be an extremely important question a Christian should ask themselves. If you think that your faith is just something you add on to your life. Something to give it meaning and make you feel warm and fuzzy inside, then you’re on the wrong track. You’ve completely missed the boat. What we can get out of our relationship with God is not important, it’s what God can get by allowing our redemption is what really matters. We were created for His pleasure. We are here to be in communion with God. He wants to have a close and intimate relationship with us. And when we are in such a close relationship with God, we have to give up ourselves. All of us. For all of Him. So we have to empty ourselves completely of ourselves. Our desires, plans, security measures, provisions all have to be abandoned. God will provide. That seems extremely drastic, but when you look at the example of the people of Israel and their wandering in the desert for fourty years it becomes clear. God wanted to cut them off from their security blankets. He wanted them to trust him completely. He provided wonderful tasting and nourishing food and water as needed. He gave them victory when they had to take in new land. Even if they were outnumbered and outgunned, God provided the overwhelming victory. He did what he said he would do: He brought them into the promised land. All they had to do is forsake their former ways of living. They had to give up what brought them a sense of being in control. They had to acknowledge him in all they did and not trust their own understanding or strength. How is that any different from us today? God had that example included in the bible for our benefit. We should look to God to provide us with a plan, with the ability to execute the plan and give us our daily bread along the way. If we continue to give him glory along the way, instead of building our own idols, he will allow us to be victorious.
So, let’s again ask the important question: Are you all in?