Acts 5

(June 20, 2015)

                The Lord wants one thing and one thing only from us – our whole will.  He does not speak or care of our overall ‘value’ (as the world uses that term).  We cannot give a partial gift to the Lord – giving Him fields and property and everything except this one dark corner of our soul that no one else will see.  The Lord will reject this, no matter how large the rest of our gift to Him is.  He will accept nothing less than the full and complete consecration of all that we are.

                The other thought I had as I read through this chapter was rejoicing in shame.  I am in a position where I am just beginning to appreciate that, but that appreciation is coming in a manner I wouldn’t have expected.  Shame seems a blessing because it is a firm reminder of how so very much of what I thought mattered doesn’t actually matter.  I thought how people perceived me (particularly a number of people whose opinions mattered to me) were important.  But rejoicing in shame, I come to recognize that the only thing that really matters is how my relationship with the Lord is.

                Shame tends to clear up where my obligations and loyalties lie.  In its absence, I seemingly act to avoid shame.  In its presence, I really how futile shame is to prevent me from the peace the Lord has in store for me.