In this part of the chapter Mr. Chan really challenges us to re-think what we are offering to God. Are they leftovers? Or are what we offer truly given out of a heart solely wanting to give the best of everything we have to God, our first fruits? Is it the best we can give? I know I was really convicted when I read this! I am examining everything. I was thinking about when I get up in the morning, Do I quickly pull out my Bible and give God the first minutes of my day before everything comes crashing in? Or I do I think about what’s on my plate today and put it off ’til later when I think I might get a minute? (Honestly, I never find that minute!)
I grew up in a family of seven people. Because my dad grew up on a farm, dinner was always a big meal. Lots of meat, boiled potatoes and veggies. Most of the time both parents had to work and we had five growing kids. There was always a little something left over to put in the refrigerator for another day. Once a week at our house was “leftovers night.” YUK! I hated leftovers! Not all things you warmed up the second time tasted good. In fact, I didn’t like most of them. It was always a race with my brothers to get the best of them. Dry meat, soggy vegetables and fried potatoes were not my favorites. Sometimes I just skipped dinner because I didn’t really care for anything on the table. To this day I try to cook just the right amount of food, so there won’t be any leftovers. Can you tell I’m not a fan??
If I am giving to God the kinds of things I don’t like or skip because I don’t even like them, what does that say about how God feels about them? What does it say about me? I think it says that I’m serving Him things that are sub-standard. OUCH!!! It calls into question my commitment and love for Him. Do I really love God and put Him first in all I do and say? Or do I feel like a liar, as Mr. Chan says? If I am to represent what love is to other people, how can I truly do that when I haven’t first given the best to the Author of love? It’s very humbling when you think that God has already given us His sacrificial best in Jesus, doesn’t it?
In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 we read the example of what God means by real love. Francis Chan challenges us to put our names in place of the word “love.” How do we measure up against these words? I’m afraid I fail miserably at times in this. I am committed, though, to work at this more and more. I want to love like God loves me. With an abandon and an unreserved feeling! I want “Perfect Love” to reflect out of me…so people know it’s God.
Mr. Chan also shares a line from Mark Buchanan’s writings. He says, “Physical sickness we usually defy. Soul sickness we often resign ourselves to.” Did any of you get the flu this winter? How many of you got a flu shot? There is no vaccine for soul sickness. I had the stomach flu for a week and a half. By the time I was done I was weak, tired, and just wanted to be done with it. I fought it every step of the way. I didn’t want to be sick! Why don’t I fight “soul sickness” with the same resolve? Why don’t I come out with my spiritual dukes up and fight it with all my might? I don’t want to be like the church in Laodicea, I need to acknowledge that I desperately need what Christ has offered. And what Christ has offered is a real commitment, real love—no leftovers! It’s the “shot” for soul sickness that is there for the asking. Can we ask Him for it? Who knows what could actually happen when we are giving God all the first fruits of our life without holding anything back? It gives me “Holy Ghost Shivers” just thinking about it! Now to put it into practice….
In Christ, Donna
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Let’s Pray:
Father God, today we pray for our hearts to be willing to give You our first fruits not our leftovers. We pray for Your cure for our Soul Sickness. We dedicate ourselves to truly love and show love to others the way You have authored it. Touch every woman reading this today and help us all to renew our commitment to You. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Your Assignment:
Substitute your name in the verses in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. Pray over it and have God reveal to you how you can change the way you measure yourselves in these verses. Ask Him to show you how it can be done. It could be life changing. Share with us, if you wish, how God is leading you.
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About Donna Day
thank you, donna…again i am (graciously) provoked by your wise words. 🙂 i SO love the idea of putting myself into the words of 1 corinthians 13!!! i think this could be a most incredible tool in endeavoring to take every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ, don’t you?!? writing this on my refrigerator, in my journal…and in my heart! happy me! <3
Thanks Coleen! it is an incredible tool! I thank you for the suggestion of putting it on my fridge etc! Especially in my heart! 🙂
Leftovers, yep that’s what I feel like I give God some days. I don’t mind food leftovers but if I’m going to have God as my guest, I certainly don’t want to give Him leftovers! I want to fix my best meal fresh and hot! Okay, so why don’t I do that when I know I need to set some time out for Him? Ugh! One thing I’m thinking is that I need to start getting up a little earlier in the morning again because no matter how I try once my day starts all I have left are leftovers. “Lord, give me an excitement to get out of bed early!”
I put my name in ICor 13, that is convicting. i need to type it out and put it on my mirror so I have to read it every morning!
Thanks for helping me start my day with God and His Word.
Clella We all struggle with what we KNOW we should do and putting it into practice! Why is that?? thank goodness God gives us second, third…….as many chances as it takes to do the right thing! Thanks for your comments!!
I fall pitifully short on the patience one. I try, really I do. I’m getting better. Sometimes I just have SO much to do, I get tired and that’s when I get cranky!
Our own boys are adopted (Russia) and we are treatment foster parents. We stopped taking kids in for a few months, cuz we have had some HARD kids to deal with, and I was burnt out! We still have a 16 yr old that will be with us until he’s 18. God has been speaking to me about taking in more kids. Honestly, a lot of it has been this bible study and how much closer I have gotten to Him. When I draw near, that’s when I WANT to do His will! Anyway, we may be taking in a 13 yr old who is up for adoption. I guess my husband and I never really wanted more of our own kids, just fosters. But my husband says, our lives are not our own. More than anything, these kids need LOVE! Not just our love but God’s love! Some of these kids are afraid that if we take in more fosters, that we may not love them as much. I tell them love multiplies, it never subtracts!! I’ll continue to work on my patience, but loving others is what God has me doing at this moment in time!! And I PRAISE Him for it!!! <3
Rae Ann praying for you as you do what you think god wants you to do! Bless your giving heart dear girl!
amen to that!!! <3
keeping no record of wrongs…. this is what i have been working on with some of my kids… and obvious forgiveness journey <3 God has been working in my heart with this for awhile now and I feel it really starting ro happen! Praise God!!!
Megan You can do it!! Keeping in mind that HE keeps no records of wrong, we can only pray for His help in doing so ourselves!! Bless you as you get victory over this for His Glory!!
Great post, Donna. And yest, this is a good scripture to hang on the refrigerator, especially on days like today.
Thank you Martha!!