give it up

Matthew 10

39 If you cling to your life,

        you will lose it;

  but if you give it up for me,

        you will find it.


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What I'm gonna share is something I started to learn in 2008 & 2009, when God gave me this verse as one of a few to hold on to during those years.

But ever since then I've also lived daily with the truth of what I learned during those 2 years - of how it's just as true today as it was back then.

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I used to think of this verse as one that majored on giving up everything, & sacrificing...

     iow, basically letting go of everything to the point of having nothing.


And it is true - if we hold tight to the things WE think are necessary to our lives, our tight grip will probably strangle the life out of them.


And when we quit clinging to our lives, we're basically start saying yes to the " 'ever's "

     whatever...

     whenever...

     wherever...

     whoever...

     however.


"Whatever" God wants, we're up for it.

"Whenever" He wants to act, change, redirect, favor, lead, we're ready.

"Wherever" means wherever God wants us located - here, there, across town, somewhere else in the state, some other state, overseas, in a boring place, in a glamorous place, in a dangerous place, - anywhere He decides to lead us.

"Whoever" is a tough one - God usually doesn't send us to people who are easy to love - who is, after all? It may be someone we intentionally go to, it may be someone who passes through our lives, it may be the very last person we want to connect with, it may be fam or friends, it could be anyone anywhere anytime.

"However" is trusting God to favor us in the "making it happen" department. We do our part, but in the end, He's the guy who pulls the rabbit out of the hat, He's the one who pulls it off - never early, but always on time.



But until 2008,I always saw this verse in regards to what I had to GIVE UP.

Starting in 2008, & ever since, God's been showing me what I GET.



I get the life He dreamed for me a gajillion years ago when He thought me up.



And in the final analysis, which life do I want - the life I can think up for myself, designed using my hopes & dreams, built upon my concepts of what real living is?

Or do I want the life that the God of the universes,

     Who is infinitely smarter than me,

     Who sees the BIG picture,

     Who knows me better than I know myself,

     Who designed me in intricate & marvelous ways that I know nothing about,

     Who loves me completely,

          unconditionally,

          full out,

          wide open,

          nothing held back?



If I keep a choke hold on my life & demand what I want, the life I really want ain't gonna show up.


But if I let go of my life, let go of my hopes & dreams, wishes, desires, direction, & let the God of the universes take control, I'll find He's free to implement the life HE dreamed for me - a life that fits me juxtaposed to how He created me, a life more abundant, free, crazy, exciting, risky, & wild than I could ever imagine.



(Sorry, I got to typing this morning & couldn't shut up ;-)