Commiting to the Will of the Lord.

SEEK & REMOVE
Proverbs 16:3
"Commit your works to the LORD, And your thoughts will be established."

The word "commit" stuck out to me as I read this scripture.  The context of the word "commit" comes from the word "galal" which also is a place in the bible that you can find in Joshua 5:9.

As a way to show their commitment to the Lord, all the males that were camped in Jericho waiting to enter the the Promise Land were circumcised.  "Then the LORD said to Joshua, 'Today I have rolled away the shame of your slavery in Egypt.'  So that place has been called Gilgal to this day."

Hope I don't lose you here.  We too can be slaves to "Egypt"  Egypt can be used as an illustration of the world.   We can be a slave to the world.  We can become a slave to the ideals and social norms of this world.  Do as the world does.   Egypt was full of false gods, was rich with resources, and used it's influence to manipulate and enslave people.

Before we came to Christ we were slaves to this world BUT when we "commited" ourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ our sins that were counted against us were "rolled" away.   They were removed.
  
This might help us see the context of the word "galal" better.

The Hebrew context of "galal is to: "roll, seek, wallow, trust, commit, remove, run down."

This context of "galal" we see in proverbs 16:3 and Joshua 5 really has two meanings that come together as one if we look carefully.  "God removes your shame/guilt/sin with your seeking, trust and commitment to him (Our Heavenly Father, Son -Jesus Christ- Holy Spirit)."

TRUE COMMITMENT
The Holy Spirit reminded me of what Paul wrote in Romans:  "For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the Jewish ceremony of circumcision.  No,  a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God.  And true circumcision is not a cutting of the body but a change of heart produced by God's Spirit.   Whoever has that kind of change seeks praise from God, not from people."  Romans 2:28-29

That goes the same for Christians.  God knows if our conviction is in Him, if we are devoted to Him, if we are sincerely seeking Him,  and if we are truly trusting Him.  Just because you were born of Christian parents and because you go to church doesn't make you a true Christian.  Just because you are standing in a parking lot or a library doesn't make you a car or book.   A true Christian is one whose heart is right with God.  It is a change of heart produced by the Holy Spirit when you committed and continued to trust and seek the Lord.  That is faith.  You walk with God.  You can not please God without faith.  "So it is impossible to please God without faith.  Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him."  Hebrews 11:6

We have to seriously consider, again and again, are we truly continuing to walking that path God has for us or have we snatched our life back from God where we lose the life God has desired for us.

You seek God's will and you will find yourself living in the desires of God for your life.   There will be a departure from your wants to God's wants.  He will give you the strength to do his will for what is required for the tasks he wants you to do.  You will not be seeking praise from people but God.

So one might say, "Lord what is your will for my life?  What is your will for this day?"

I believe God can do that but my tendency is when I do ask those questions and God answers- I become so narrow minded I don't see the little or big things God is bringing up to help me become more like Christ because I am I so focused on a particular aspect of what I think is the conclusion or major point or the climax to the crescendo.  And because I get so narrow minded I miss out on the building lessons of the Holy Spirit and the instruction and direction in those life changing lessons.

When I do that I am no longer working in the Spirit but in this task oriented mode which can easily be distracted by how things are are or are not getting down in the way I think they should be done - which drives me to unsound thoughts or actions in the flesh or just plain and simple wears me out.  

Sometimes I feel a little bit like I am experiencing a preview to a movie and if it looks like a good movie I want to not just see the preview but the entire movie especially if it has a good ending.  (Knowing God wants the best for His children we know life is going to have it fair share of ups and downs but in the end it is going to be GOOD!) 

We want the big picture of what God is doing and when we don't get the big picture we lose patience and jump the gun.  We can go an entirely different direction than God wants us to go because we become impatient and then we wonder why we aren't satisfied and confident in that task or direction we chose.  Then that leads to inner conflict- BUT hopefully with repentance, learned lessons, we get back on the path and plan God wants us to be on too.

Seeking God with patience God will give us direction and with that direction, He gives us the confidence and gumption to do what He has asked and has directed us to do.

Now I could manipulate God's words to make them sound like what I want them to say.  For example a person could say the bible says, "There is no God" because they only chose only to hear what you wanted to hear.  And in reality the bible says, "Only fools say in their hearts, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!" Psalm 53:1

You can say "I will commit this or that plan 'I' have to the Lord and it will succeed and it will be established."  And I know people do that and sometimes that turns out good and sometimes it turns out not so good.  But the question is- "Is that really God's plan for your life?"  Ask and follow God's plan not your plan.

I could run this race of life and win and come to find out as I stand before the Lord that I really won the wrong race.  I could have done many good things and lived what I thought was a good life but the Lord say to me, "I never you."  I don't know about you but I want to be sure I'm doing the Lord's will in my life, don't you?  The only way to do that is to follow the Holy Spirit's counsel and direction and that only happens if we take time to each day and throughout the day to listen and read God's word. 

"Not everyone who calls out to me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.  On judgment day many will say to me, 'Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.' But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God's laws." Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.  Matthew 7:21-24

Notice he says, "the will of my Father".

Doing the will of the Father is learning to trust Him in all things in life even in the plans He has for our life.  God knows exactly what is inside of you and me that He can use for His glory and you and I know- He knows what is good and still needs more work.  His plan/will- will get us to the full stature or measure of Christ Jesus- not our plan.  My plan may look and sound good, it may even earn me a bunch of money and benefits and lots of nice things but I would be chasing the wind and life would be meaningless in the end because I chose to the dollar and material things instead of Almighty God who gives me everything I need and a life full of thanksgiving.  I want my life to be secure and built on the solid rock of Jesus Christ.

Again it would be easy after reading this to point your finger and say "well so and so doesn't do this and that".   Please don't do that.  That is something else at work and only tears down and does not build up.  Keep your heart and thoughts diligent on the Lord.  Be mindful of your relationship with the Lord - not anyone else and you will make a greater difference then if you pointed your finger and grumbled about others who you considered superficial in the faith of Jesus Christ.

Seek and pray to God with me as we seek the Lord's will and plan for our life.  In Jesus Name Amen.