Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me. John 12:26

In 1865, William Booth, founded what would be a huge mission called the Salvation Army.  He was once asked. What’s your secret?”  The story goes that Booth thought about it for a moment and said, “God has had all there was of me!”

How many us who say that we are followers of Jesus, can say we’ve given all of ourselves to God, day in and day out, all of our lives?  What does it mean to commit your life to Jesus Christ?

The word to commit means “to put or place” something.  Spiritual commitment isn’t the same thing as putting money in an investment anticipating that you’ll get something back in return.  In simple terms committing to follow Jesus is the recognition that you belong to Jesus Christ and that His desires control the way you live.  It means you are His to use to love people, both in your life and throughout the world, through mission.  To use the army metaphor, you are His to command, whether it be by sending you through a dark valley or to the mountaintop.

The moment that we make that commitment, God’s Spirit comes to live within us (Acts 2:38, Romans 8:9). The Holy Spirit helps us live out our faith, giving wisdom, comfort and guidance.  In the words of Billy Graham: “There is not a person who can follow Christ without the help of the Holy Spirit.”[1] When God has all of me, I find that I have all that I need.

 

Resource reading: John 12:23-26

[1] Graham, B. (2020, February 24). Billy Graham: Does the holy spirit live in you? Decision Magazine. Retrieved March 2, 2022, from https://decisionmagazine.com/does-the-holy-spirit-live-in-you/