a servant to someone

'Therefore

since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, 

let us also lay aside every weight, 

and sin which so easily entangles and clings so closely, 

and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith,

who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross,

despising the shame, 

and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.' 

Hebrews 12:1,2

Who am I surrounded by? 

Do I surround myself with people that not only love me for who God is making me to be, but love Him and have a desire to be the people that God wants them to be? Who I allow into the sacred recesses of my heart and life will determine the kind of race I run and how well I run the race set before me. I want to run well, so I will surround myself with others that want to run well also. 

I can not run and carry the heavy load of sin, shame, pride, and self righteousness. 

Just as I backpack through the woods and consider every ounce going into my pack, knowing I will have to bear its weight as I traverse rocky terrain and cross through wooded lands, I too will give thought to the heavy weight of sin that weighs me down, tangles me up and turns my eyes from the Perfecter of my Faith toward myself and others. I will live a life of surrender, acknowledging before God and others, the sin that entangles, and will seek accountability as I desire to live righteously--not to my own glory, but for the sake of running this race of life well, unencumbered by the sin that holds me down. 

I will turn my eyes away from myself and set my gaze upon Christ Himself. He walked this earth. He played by the rules that we play by. He is God and He dwelt among us. He was the least of these. This world was not His home and He refused to set His eyes on that which was temporary and allow that to rule the eternal. If He would have, He would have never endured the cross or despised its shame--He would have denied His cross, sacrificed the eternal glory of God and all of creation would have paid the penalty. He knew that this life on earth is but a drop compared to all eternity. He lived accordingly. I will strive to do the same. 

I will take joy in the misunderstandings. I will seek His strength as I strive to live for Him among those that don't believe. I will seek to understand before I make effort to be understood. Rather than pray my cross be lifted, I will pray for the strength of character to carry it well. 

With the cross before me and the world behind, I will follow Jesus. 

I will love those that God loves. 

I will live these fleeting moments with intentional love and mercy, remembering my own need for love and mercy. I will seek to bless others before I expect blessing. 

I will set my eyes on Christ, the One who is writing my story, the Author of my faith, as He weaves this tapestry of my life that I will one day present before His throne as I bow in humble adoration, thankful for the life He gave and the cross He carried on my behalf. May it be a tapestry of beauty, woven with threads of grace and surrender, mercy and freedom, hope and love and purity. 

'Anyone who might feel reluctant to surrender his will to the will of another should remember Jesus' words, "Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin" (John 8:34). 

We must of necessity, be servant to someone, either to God or to sin.

The sinner prides himself on his independence, 

completely overlooking the fact that he is the weak slave of the sins that rule his members. 

The man who surrenders to Christ exchanges a cruel slave driver for a kind and gentle Master whose yoke is easy and whose burden is light.' 

The Pursuit of God

A.W Tozer 

surrendered. 

tiffany