All In
These two words have multiple applications. I first heard them when someone was playing cards and they felt confident that the cards they were holding would win and the put all their chips in. I recently heard these words in reference to following the Lord. I do want to be fully committed, all in, when it comes to following the Lord.
Moses was in his last days on earth. He was speaking to the nation of Israel on the cusp of them crossing the Jordan to take the land that God had promised them and their ancestors. He was casting the vision of what it would take to follow the Lord. Check this out….
4 “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. 5 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. 6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. 7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. 8 Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9 NLT)
These instructions to the people of Israel seem simple enough. I’m either following the Lord and living for Him, or I’m living myself. I’m either living for His Kingdom or I’m living for my kingdom.
I don’t want to be a follower of the Lord only when I’m at church.
I don’t want to be a follower of the Lord only when people are watching.
I want my faith to be known by all who know me. I want my faith to be passed on from generation to generation starting at home. I want all my children and grands to know the Lord and to trust Him with their lives.
I want others who know me and work with me to see my faith in action, in the way I live and conduct my day to day life and business. I want my wholehearted commitment to the Lord to shine through in every area of my life. I want the Light of the World – Jesus to be reflected in my everyday life and my activities.
Pressing On!
Dwayne