July 13, 2006
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Willingly Offer
“When the princes in Israel take the lead, when the people willingly offer themselves — praise the Lord!” (Judges 5:2)
There is reason to praise the Lord when those who have been called & appointed by Him truly lead. There is reason to praise the Lord when all God’s people willingly offer themselves to Him.
Am I leading when I’m supposed to – or do I hold back?
Am I willingly offering myself up to the Lord – or do I hold back?
WILLING
voluntary
open
flexible
non-resistant
anything goes
open hands
no objection
OFFER
give
volunteer
gift
present
hand over
release
relinquish ownership
transfer rights
sign off titles
surrender
let go to another
MY “SELF”
my dreams
my ideals
my ideas
my theories
my vision
my hopes
my thoughts
my rationalizations
my fears
my pride
my “name”
any monuments to myself
my heart
my loves
To “willingly offer” indicates the open hands of presenting self to another. It’s not really an “offer”if it’s not TO someone. So I can be assured that God doesn’t require of me to throw myself away — but to give myself to Him — to Him who absolutely loves and adores me. Holding back in any way indicates a fear that I will be lost somehow (my “name” will be lost) — but ironically, it’s only when I abandon myself to Him completely that I am truly found.
