"Obsession with self in these
matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a
spacious, free life." (Rom 8:6 Message)
Possessions are supposed to be things that are useful
to us. But more often than not, they end up possessing us!
It's like the lake we admired just after our visit to
Milford Sound in New Zealand. Everything was pristine and quiet, except for the
occasional call of an exotic bird. The sun was shining and Mount Cook and Mount
Tasman made the lake look even more vibrant.
Only one thing though seemed to be out of place. A
sign seemed to be upside down. But then I noticed that its reflection in the
lake mirrored what the sign was supposed to say: Mirror Lakes. What seemed to be
a defective sign was not faulty at all, but rather, a clear description of the
lake properties: To reflect everything in its surroundings!
Isn't the word "possession" one of these words that
isn't always what it seems to be? If you really think about it, any of our
possessions can become obsessions that we may end up loving a bit too much!
There are, naturally, the ones we all know about: alcohol, drugs, sex, greed...
But what can stop us from also loving TV too much? And cars,
cards, sports, books, internet, even church?
In retrospect anything that takes our attention away
from the Lover of our soul is more than a possession. It easily becomes an
obsession, and one that is hard to shake off! If you don't believe me, ask your
neighbour if you can borrow his latest sports car. He may never speak to you
again! Or take the latest novel that your daughter or son purchased, before
he/she
even gets
to read it. Do I hear thunder in the distance?
More often than not, possessions have the tendency of
possessing us, and if we aren't careful, we will become addicted by them with no
hope of deliverance in sight!
Isn't it time we take a stand and put these obsessions
in their right place? Aren't they just tools to help us? We should never, ever
let them posses us! If they have taken that place in our lives, it is time to
bring them to the altar of the Most High and offer them to Him as a sacrifice.
"So here's what I want you to do, God helping you:
Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and
walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God
does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted
to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your
attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out." (Rom 12:1-2 The
Message)
Such sacrifices aren't easily offered, but with
persistence they will free us from any bondages, especially if we are eager to
let God reign in our hearts. Surrender comes after a night of wrestling. Jacob
sure knows about that, and it changed his life!
When we open our hearts, it will most definitely
appear that nothing is worth possessing except the love of our Saviour Jesus the
Christ. Only when our desires match the ones from God will we experience utter
freedom beyond anyone's comprehension. And the freedom, beauty, rest and peace
that follow are the biggest surprises of all!
Imagine a world without possessions! Imagine all money
gone! Who would have addictions? Where would sin be found? Imagine how freedom
would become a reality. How can our hearts not be receptive to the One who has
loved us all along? Jesus did the ultimate sacrifice, giving up everything so
that we could posses what we deeply long for: acceptance and freedom.
What are you willing to sacrifice to make this
possible?
Rob Chaffart
Dedicated to my son Donovan who wondered about this
with me.
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
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