for... rather than by

Beware of anything that competes with your loyalty to Jesus Christ.  The greatest competitor of true devotion to Jesus is the service we do for Him.  It is easier to serve than to pour out our lives completely for Him.  The goal of the call of God is His satisfaction, not simply that we should do something for Him.  We are not sent to do battle for God, but to be used by God in His battles.  Are we more devoted to service than we are to Jesus Christ Himself? 

-Oswald Chambers

Vocational ministry is a tremendous blessing.  It also comes with a tremendous temptation- to equate what we do with who we are, to think that our "service" is equivalent to a vibrant relationship with the Lord.  The temptation of all blessings from God is to set our eyes upon the blessing, thereby turning from God- the giver of the blessings.

God is continually bringing me back to this simple statement- "It's all about Me, you serve Me alone."  God puts those with authority in our lives to guide us and lead us, and we must respect those whom God has put in authority over our lives.  AND, we need to always remember that our first allegiance is ALWAYS to God.  The moment I am more focussed on my "success" as a _____ than I am on my pursuit of the Lord Jesus Christ, I am trying "to do battle for Him," rather than devoting myself to Him, to "be used by Him in His battles."  The difference appears subtle to the human eye- both seem commendable.  This is why we must continually lay ourselves before God, asking Him to search our hearts and reveal to us the sin we are often so blind of.

I long to have this truth take deeper root in my heart.  I'm praying that God would give me the eyes to see what the "anything's" in my life are... and the humility to repent and ask for a deeper love for and allegiance to my Lord.

Beware of anything that competes with your loyalty to Jesus Christ.