August 19
The difference between dogs and cats according to one definition is that dogs belong to us and serve us; cats, however, think we belong to them and exist to serve them. Miss Molly Magee, my cat, certainly fits that claim. She expects a small saucer of milk at 7 AM and will chide me continually if I don’t oblige. She may or may not drink it, but that is not the point, it is still supposed to be there. She also expects part of my tuna at lunch, and to be carried to bed at 9 PM. Oh, and don’t forget her pillow! She is quite sure I exist to serve her.
She’s wrong; however, I exist to serve Another. “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.” [1 Cor 6:19-20]
I am not my own. I belong to the One who bought me with His blood. That is a life-transforming principle of our Christian walk. It means we belong wholly to Christ. Everything that is part of us is His, our bodies, money, time, talents, thoughts are His – everything.
I wonder what it would be like if we lived that principle to its fullest measure. I wonder how much we would influence and change our world. What would it be like if every morning when we arose we intentionally committed ourselves to do all and only what the Holy Spirit of Life in us directed?
I know that I do that sporadically. My efforts to cooperate with the Spirit of God are too often hit and miss. Yet in my heart of hearts, I strive to make Christ Jesus the Lord of all my life. I know He sees that. I know even that desire pleases Him. And I know that He will continually urge me on to more and more of Him and greater and greater heights in Him. Thank you, Lord, that you do not give up on me even when my efforts to serve You are feeble and few. Amen.
