Max Lucado puts best what is on my heart today:
“When you say, ‘Thy kingdom come’, you are inviting the Messiah himself to walk into your world. ‘Come, my King! Take your throne in our land. Be present in my heart. Be present in my office. Come into my marriage. Be Lord of my family, my fears, and my doubts.’ This is no feeble request; it’s a bold appeal for God to occupy every corner of your life.”
It’s CHRIST’S OCCUPATION that I am contemplating today.
I’m not that much of a military buff, but I do know that when an army comes in to take over hostile territory they OCCUPY the land. In other words, they station enough troops to maintain an authoritative rule – to govern by force.
Well Christ desires to OCCUPY our lives – all of our lives – but He chooses not to do it by force. He could have. He’s certainly powerful enough. But instead, He gives us a choice. In essence He says, ‘Let me have all of you. Hold nothing back. Allow me to transform every area of your life to conform to my ways and you will be greatly blessed.’
Although the reward is great, so often we struggle. At least, I know I do. For example, I let him OCCUPY my marriage and my family, but not issues with food (see earlier post on the food thing). Oh, I make stabs at surrender in the food area, but I wouldn’t say I’m totally surrendered yet. Also there are a few people who have hurt me deeply that I haven’t fully surrendered and turned over to God in absolute forgiveness.
You see, to allow Christ to fully OCCUPY me, I must allow HIS THOUGHTS, HIS WILL, and HIS WORD to dominate all I do. In theory I do this, but when push comes to shove so often I grasp on to my own way and act like a toddler with a coveted toy who’s screaming “MINE!”
In my babyish tantrums with whatever I’m not relinquishing, I am resisting Christ’s occupying all of me.
So for today, my prayer is simply: “Lord not my will, but Yours be done.” Today I choose for Christ to occupy all of me.
What about you?
