Sort of sold out to God – sounds strange doesn’t it? How can you be sort of sold out? It’s like be “sort of” dead – you either are or your not, there's just no middle ground on dead. There's no middle ground on sold out either. You either are sold out or your not sold out. So much of my life I have been just that — a “sort of “ sold out to God Christian– not all the way, just sort of. I would try real hard to be sold out and I would live in this victory for a while….and then something would happen and I'd find my focus shifting from serving Him to what He could do for me. And once I start focusing on me, it's all downhill from there.
Using the scripture below (along with Mark 14:6-9) we looked at these two very different people who lived and walked with Jesus while He was on earth.
Then Mary took a pound of fragrant oil—pure and expensive nard—anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped His feet with her hair. So the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. Then one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot (who was about to betray Him), said, “Why wasn’t this fragrant oil sold for 300 denarii, and given to the poor?” He didn’t say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. He was in charge of the money-bag and would steal part of what was put in it. Jesus answered, “Leave her alone; she has kept it for the day of My burial. For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.” John 12: 3-7– Mary loved Jesus and gave Him all that she had. She didn’t worry what others thought, she was completely focused on Him. When she took that alabaster jar and broke it to pour over Jesus, she didn't stop and wonder where in the world would she find more nard. Mary didn't think about all the cute shoes she could buy with the money from the nard. Mary just did it. She poured this incredibly expensive (worth a year's wages) perfume over Jesus and sat and worshipped at His feet. This was one sold out woman!
–Now Judas was a completely different story. Judas immediately thought of the poor….okay, not really, he just said that. He really was just thinking about his own selfish motives — Judas was a thief (not my opinion, it's a fact — check it out). Judas wasn't upset about the poor , he was just ticked off that he wouldn't get to slip a few denari in his pocket. Judas walked with Jesus for three years and he never truly knew the Lord. How sad. I wonder how many people sit in church, in Sunday school, and even in Bible study groups and never know Jesus?
That's why I want to be like Mary of Bethany — completely sold out to God. I want to love the Lord with pure abandon. Be completely selfless and totally dependent on Him all the time, not just some of the time. I want to live a joy filled life in victory, because I know that's what He's called me to do.
No more of the “sort of” stuff for me. I'm completely sold out to God.
This is absolutely along the same line that my pastor preached this morning but a way different text. Isn’t it cool how the Lord does that?
I want to be 100% sold out!!
Have a great Lord’s day!!
Leah, I do love it when the Lord just brings everything together. It seems whenever He’s driving a message home to me I hear it everywhere!