Demands my soul, my life, my all

Reckless (rěk'lĭs)- "defiant disregard for danger or consequences." Being reckless for Jesus. That is what we are called to, and really that is what life is all about, and yet how often do we really live a life that could be considered reckless for the cause of Christ? To live in utter disregard for the danger or consequence of proclaiming Jesus and the Cross, proclaiming and living the Truth with boldness. I love to read christian biographies, stories of people who are giving their lives and living recklessly for Jesus. They inspire me. Jim Elliot, Keith Green, Amy Carmichael, Hudson Taylor, Jonathan Goforth, Jo Shetler. There is something within, some deeply rooted passion, that stirrs with excitement when I read it, hear of it, their lives, passion, dedication, recklessness. And yet I let myself be content to just live vicariously through them. Why? What is holding me back from being the one who is "sold out", who is giving my all for something that is entirely worth it? "Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all." O Lord, that I would give my all. That I would count everything the world has to offer as rubbish compared to the surpassing glory of knowing Christ.

"But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves." James 1:22. I have been freshly challenged by this unwavering call to be united in truth and action, because we prove what we really believe deep down by how we live. We will not hesitate to say that we believe God is all powerful, that He created the heavens and the earth, that He is good, that He cares for his creation and is our only hope for salvation, that Christ is our only hope of glory, that we have been loved with an unquenchable love. But if we really believe that, why do we let anything else get in the way? Why do we not live every day of our lives in the complete freedom and reckless abandon that comes from being loved as a child of God? We say that we believe the Bible is God's word, completely true, living and active. That through His word God reveals himself, and has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him. If we really believe that, why are we not constantly longing for and spending time in the word? Why is it not our first priority- to spend time day and night reading the word of life and growing closer to our Savior? May we each be doers of the word, living representations of true belief. May we be reckless in our pursuit of Jesus!