Reciprocal

Ex.20:² “I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. ³ “You must not have any other god but me.”

When a kidnapper says to someone ‘you are mine’, the person feels resentment, feels trapped and all the person wants is to escape. Unfortunately, that is how a lot of people are relating with God and with The Law [The Ten Commandments]. We relate with God like we relate with a kidnapper because that is what we have been taught. Interestingly, even with the people who are peddling grace at the expense of truth, if you really listen to their message, they are like prisoners because they see it as entrapment. However, people who are married can relate to what I am about to say next (and for those who are yet to be married, you are going to know this feeling very soon, in Jesus Name): When the bride is taken to the altar, the summary of what happens there is the groom saying, ‘I want you to be mine!’ And the brides response being, ‘I do! in other words means, I want you to be mine too!’

I remember the day I got married, the sermon was so long. That was when I made up my mind that I will not let anyone else go through what I went through. Weddings in God’s Favourite House last for just one hour. I had to wait for so long, but it seemed as though that was the time the pastor was getting inspiration. My thoughts were, “please get to the point quickly”. When the time finally came, I looked at my wife in the eye and the summary of what I said was, ‘I want you to be mine!’ What she heard was not the voice of a kidnapper. What she heard was based on affection and it prompted the response, ‘I am yours’.

God alone rescued you. God loves you and He wants you to be His own. What will your response be? If you do not understand this, you will think God wants to kidnap you and so you will kick against God. Many people think that God kidnapped them and grace has come to set them free. But the reality is that the fullness of grace is in being sold out to God and, that means your life is not your own, it means you belong to God.

Prayer [song]: My life is not my own. To you I belong. I give myself, I give myself to you.

I give myself away, I give myself away –so You can use me… Amen!