Tag Archives: Fully committed

The King asks

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One of the games played by youth in Bolivia is called El Rey Pide. It means, “The King Asks.” In this game, one child is selected to be the “king” and sit in a special place of honor at one end of the room. The rest of the youth are divided into two teams of the king’s “subjects”, seated at the opposite side of the room. The “king” would scan the room with his eyes, keenly watching his “subjects..” Then he would pronounce, “El Rey pide…el cuaderno!” (The king asks for the notebook.) With great haste someone from each team would eagerly rush to find a notebook and bring it to the king. The first one to reach him “wins” that round. The game continues with several “el Rey pide” requests, each met with the enthusiastic response of the king’s subjects who are ever so eager to please their king. When we visited the Bolivian school where our Compassion child attends, they chose our sponsored child, Daniela, to take the place of honor and the game proceeded as “La Reina pide” (“The queen asks.”) We enjoyed watching the children laugh and play the game, each eager to please their “lord.”

 

Imagine if you were a great king looking down on the kingdom of this world. What would you see as your eyes roamed throughout your kingdom? Without doubt, your eyes would fall upon some always working ever diligently to build great monuments. You’d find others basking in the sun or consumed with their hobbies and games. You’d observe that some live in sumptuous comfort while others are scurrying around trying to scratch out a meager existence and merely survive.

 

“For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” 2 Chronicles 16:9a

 

Indeed, there is a king whose eyes are always upon us. What do you think he is searching for and what do you expect he finds? He is looking for those are fully committed, sold out, “all in the game”, devoted to the singular purpose of doing what the King asks and being the people they were called to be.

 

And what does the King ask? Qué pide El Rey? He asks us simply to be his people and to invite others into the protection of his kingdom. Love God and love others in his name. Feed the hungry, care for the sick, and visit those in prison. Be fully involved in his purpose, not distracted by other games and pursuits.  When you think about it, it’s not really as complicated as we sometimes make it to be.

 

But we read about wars and senseless shootings, about teachers and leaders who bring deception. It seems the world is filled with earthquakes, famines and disease, and even the persecution of believers. The King sees this. In fact he foresaw it and described it in Luke 21. He told us then and reminds us now to be careful that our hearts not become weighed down with dissipation (drunkenness, sexual debauchery, and the squandering of money and resources). The king cautions us to not be worn out with anxieties. And the king asks, “Be always on the watch and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen.” (Luke 21:36)

 

The King is watching. His eyes range throughout the earth to see who is fully committed to him, not just playing a game. He sees your faithful heart. His eyes do not miss your mournful cry. He takes notice of your weakness and sickness. And he looks to strengthen and encourage you in the hard places of your life. Be encouraged as you commit to responding to what the King asks. And be always on the watch yourself so you can encourage others also.

 

Doing the Hokey Pokey

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I saw a sign that read:

“I was addicted to the Hokey Pokey…
But I turned myself around.”

Someone else added, “That’s what it’s all about!”

 

The witty play on words brought a grin to my face. Then it occurred to me that there’s something important in this little child’s action song.

Turning ourself around IS what it’s all about.

 

As if to demonstrate that you can discover life lessons in just about anything, Marsha Johnson Evans, National Executive Director of Girls Scouts of the USA, actually suggested three pretty good lessons to be drawn from the silly song:

1. Maintain a Circle of friends.

The game song starts and ends in a circle. We all need to surround ourselves with a circle of friends, teachers, mentors, and encouragers, including those who are different from us. And we need to be part of that circle, supporting others. Our circle may also include those who who influenced our life but are now gone.

 

2. Shake things up.

To be successful, sometimes we need to question the status quo and dare to shake things up. Sometimes we need to shake ourselves up!

 

3. Put your whole self in.

As followers and as leaders, we are called to be fully persuaded and fully committed to our life mission. You can’t be partially involved in living fully.

 

Evans concludes that it might seem easy to do these things — build a circle of support around us, be willing to shake things up, and willing to commit oneself – but it is something too few people do. Instead people often complain about how “the system” or “others” keeps them down. Evans writes,”It takes courage; it takes strength; it takes vision; and most importantly it takes you taking charge of you.”

 

Beyond this trilogy of motivational lessons, there is another lesson to remember: We need to turn ourselves around when we’ve gone the wrong way. We all do it. We go astray. We wander from our values and our intended purpose. We neglect what’s really important in life for the sake of what’s entertaining. Like making a wrong turn on a trip, we need to turn around and get back on track. We can’t change our past mistakes but we can all start to change from where we are right now.

 

Much may come from self effort and determination to turn around to a new focused way of living. But we face so many limitations when we attempt to change ourselves within our own power. We need more. Paul encourages us to be “filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19). Filled and Full. Not Empty or half full. Fully committed. Being all in and shaken by God.

 

In the end (and in the beginning) we need the power of God who promises:

“In the end I will turn things around for the people. I’ll give them a language undistorted, unpolluted, Words to address God in worship and, united, to serve me with their shoulders to the wheel.” Zephaniah 3:9 (The Message)

 

He is the one who ultimately will circle us with his grace and shake us up with his truth. He is the one who put his whole self in us to lead us from our shame, arrogance, fear, despair, sorrows, and burdens, to right living, peace, joy, happiness, and ultimately our home with him (verses 10-20).

 

Be filled to the measure of the fullness of God.

Because THAT’S what it’s all about!

 

Fully committed

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“For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him…” 2 Chronicles 16:9

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8

Two verses describe a pair of realities we face every single day. On one hand, God almighty is looking throughout all the earth for those who are fully committed to Him so He can strengthen them. On the other hand, our enemy who seeks to kill, steal, and destroy is intently looking for someone to devour.

How will we be found today, alert and of sober mind, fully committed to our God? Or meandering along through our to-do list, mindless of our real purpose in life, easy prey for the enemy?

Perhaps we should take time before we start our day, “What AM I fully committed to? How many of my ‘commitments’ are in competition with being fully committed to my God, relegating Him to some small component of my life?”

God is looking to strengthen you in your battle today. He can do much in a life that is fully committed to Him!