Unified By HIM For HIM!

It has been a long time since I have blogged anything. I want to expand on my post for Feb 7, 2011. Recently, our church family participated in a 15 hour prayer vigil. During my time of prayer, my ABBA brought Jeremiah 13 back to mind. I want to share what HE laid on my heart and what I have been learning about HIM and what HE has for us as HIS children.

The Lord gives Jeremiah a visual. He told Jeremiah to get a sash, to tie it around his waste, then to take the sash off and hide it beside the river. When He told Jeremiah to retrieve the sash, he finds that the sash is ruined and unable to fulfill its purpose.

There are a couple of thoughts that challenged me about this example, during this time it was prompted to my mind. The Lord tells Jeremiah that the sash represents Judah, which as the sash is made to cling to the waist; so Judah was made to cling to the Lord!

A sash is sewn together, made of many tiny strands woven into one singular item. Such a tight unity for a common purpose! HE said that Judah (a nation) was made in the same way. We as Christians are also told that we are many members but one body! (I Corinthians 12 and Romans 12) We are designed to be unified (John 17, Christ prayed that believers would have unity like He and His Father had), sewn together for a common purpose of being tied to our CREATOR.

Are we fulfilling our purpose of being tiny parts, a member of a large body? Are we tightly sewn into this body or have we allowed our portion to be unraveled and distorted?

Also the Lord had him hide the sash away. Because it was hidden away it was in a fashion that it was not meant to be, it became ruined, rendered useless. When we are not sewn into the spot that we are designed for to be tied to Him, we are useless.

I was helping Abby organize her room. As we were putting items away, I saw a stray piece of elastic on the floor. I thought that it was useless trash. Abby told me that it was a piece of her bracelet kit. It was of use to her! She put it back with the kit. In the same way, we may feel stray or useless or others may see us as stray or useless, BUT the DESIGNER knows for what HE designed you. Humble and submit yourself to the DESIGNER to be sewn into HIS sash and tied to HIS waist. HE alone can reconcile you to HIMSELF!

If you have not come to a personal relationship with Christ, admit that you are separated from Christ, from God (Romans 3:23, 6:23) by your sin (anything that you do that is contrary to HIS nature).
Believe that God sent Christ to die for you, to reconcile you back to HIMSELF (Romans 5:10).
Confess your sins to HIM and ask HIM to bring you into HIS family (I John 1:9; Romans 10:13)!
Once you are in HIS family, be a unified useful member! Have you allowed yourself to be unraveled, disconnected, or hidden away? Come let HIM use you for HIS recognition and design!
It is time to answer HIS call to be united to HIS body and to be used of HIM for HIS purpose and glory (Romans 13:11)!
Get connected!
Act on your FAITH as the shown in Hebrews 11 and 12 and by the compelling of HIS love (2 Corinthians 5:14) by which we are saved through HIS sacrifice!
This is the least that we can do for HIM, WHO has given, does give, and will give us all (Colossians 1:17; Philippians 4:19)! He made us, loves us, died and rose for us, provides for us, protects us, leads us... and He simply requires us to be submitted to HIS control, HIS design, HIS service (Romans 12:1-2)!

This song is geared towards men, but the words should be true of us all! Will we answer the call to be who HE designed us to be?

Answer the Call

by Steve Green

 

The Spirit of God is calling
Calling to men
Stirring within our hearts a call
To faithfulness again
First to our God
Then in our homes
Faithful in all we are
And with all that we own

Chorus

I answer the call
I take my stand
I choose to live my days on earth
A faithful man
And to that end
I give my all
And in the strength and grace of God
I answer the call

I understand that no man
Can stand on his own
But thanks be to the spirit
We'll never stand alone
Now by His will I choose to be
All that the FATHER said
That HIS children could be

Chorus

A call to dedicate our lives
To nurture our children and love our wives
A call to guard our hearts and eyes
To press toward the goal -- To win the prize

Chorus (3 times)