Ransom Demands

Approximately, seven or eight years ago I sensed God convicting me. At the time, I was still learning to discern the voice of God. The conviction seemed crazy, maybe even illogical. I didn’t want to obey. Obedience would require a leap of faith, a ton of time, a lot of money and a life-long commitment.

 

So, instead of obedience, I offered God my list of my ransom demands. Maybe you’re familiar with the list?? It goes something like this…Lord, you solve these 10 issues/obstacles in my life. And when You do, I’ll know the conviction was from you and then I will obey.

 

I wonder if God rolled His eyes when He received my list of ransom demands, my disclaimer for failing to obey?

God did not meet one item on my list. And approximately, 9 months later I found myself in position of “forced obedience”. However, I learned a couple of valuable lessons. It was God convicting me. Obedience did require a leap of faith, a ton of time, a lot of money and a life-long commitment.

But instead of making the journey easier or removing any obstacles, God strengthened me. He provided just enough. I learned that sometimes following God requires sacrifice, a lot of work, clinging to my Savior and a leap of faith.

 

God’s been reminding me of this lesson over the past month. When I went to She Speaks I was excited to step out into this new world of writing for God. I have discovered I love talking about my Savior. Writing His Word. Living His truth. I love sitting at His feet and partaking of the revelation of His will through His Word and the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Never have I felt so full and satisfied then when I am doing these things.

But then I found myself right back where I was so many years ago. Are you sure Lord? Is this really something I am to pursue? It’s going to cost me…a leap of faith, a ton of time, a lot of money and maybe even a life-long commitment. I need either your voice to be louder or the path to be easier.

And there it was…the beginnings of my Ransom Demands.

So God in His infinite wisdom used the Holy Spirit to remind me of three passages.

Romans 10: 14-15
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

Clearly, God intended for us to speak or preach the Word. But is He sending me?  

So, then the Holy Spirit reminded me of:

Matthew 28: 18-20
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

Looks like He has sent us all. So, maybe it is God’s will for me (and all of us) to teach the word of God and to make disciples of all nations. Although, I know there is some freedom in how God chooses to do this.

Finally, the Holy Spirit reminded me of:

Matthew 9: 35-38
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into the harvest field.”

I love how the Holy Spirit likes to get to the “root” of the issue. He likes to use scripture to expose and judge the very thoughts and intentions of my heart. (Hebrews 4:12 AMP)

Our loving and gracious God is looking around this broken world with compassion on us all. All of us struggling with wounds in our hearts, souls, minds and spirits. He is looking around with compassion on all those suffering from diseases plaguing their bodies and their minds. And He wants to heal us.

He wants us to lay our burdens at His feet. He wants us to cast our cares on Him. He wants us to touch the hem of His garment and be healed. He wants to give us the streams of living waters that will well up from within us and satisfy the deepest longings of our souls.

He desperately wants us to have an encounter with Him.

He does not want us to continue to bear the weight of this world or the burdens we were never intended to carry. He did not create us to carry the burden of sin, rather He was sent to carry it for us.

Oh, how He loves us!

 

He desires for us to cast our sins and our burdens on the cross. And in exchange, He wants us to walk around free in Him, fully experiencing His love, healing and abundance.

And in the midst of His compassion, all my selfish hard heart could think of is…What’s in it for me?

What if I do all this work, give all this money, sacrifice my time and my future and there is nothing to show for it? No fruit. Not boxes checked or retirement allotted. No lives changed or kingdom come. Just wasted words over endless hours.

And then my sweet Lord said…Dana, I am Lord of the harvest, not you. It is not up to you to determine if it is “worth it”. Your job, your role is obedience. Obedience to what I have given you and called you to no matter how seemingly small. I am the Lord of the harvest and I will determine the amount you will harvest.

Oh, how His word and His love convicts my selfish heart!   Send me into the fields Lord with compassion on all those that are harassed and helpless.  Open my eyes to the hurt all around me.  Let your compassion and love pour forth from me and teach me how to bring the good news of the kingdom with healing for every disease and sickness.  Use me to gather the sheep to the Shepherd.