An Ugly Word

Scripture:
"The LORD says to my Lord: 'Sit at my right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool at Your feet.'" Psalm 110:1

Observation:
There are days that I really feel like I fight my battles alone. In the heat of these moments discouragement is not hard to find. It can chase me down like a lion hunting a lamb. "Fight!" I tell myself, but it just seems so useless to resist.

This verse offers an invitation of which I needed reminding this morning. Unlike Christ I can't literally sit at the right hand of God, but I think once I remind myself that I surrender to Christ and became one with Him; I can take some instruction from it.

Application:
Surrender. What an ugly word. There is no honor in it. It signifies defeat. It means to totally give up control and ownership to another person. It is not a word we like to hear, yet it is very word God chose to base our faith upon.

I have to surrender my will to God. By doing this, the word takes on a new meaning. It is no longer an ugly word. It is full of honor. It signifies victory. It means I get to trade my control and ownership for a part of God's kingdom.

There are days that I need to be reminded that God is not asking me to be perfect. He is not asking me to defeat every weakness I have. He is asking that I willfully submit to sitting at His side and allowing Him to move in my life. In Ezekiel 36:25-27 I see a beautiful picture of the work that God wants to do in my life.

Prayer:
I ask today that You prove Yourself Holy in my life. I realize that You do this, not to make me look good, but to prove to the world around me how blessed are those who are called by Your name.

I ask that You sprinkle clean water on me and cleanse me from the filth of all my idols. I have many hopes and dreams that often fight to hijack my ambitions and take center stage in my life. These idols open my life to many weaknesses.

I ask that You give me a new heart. Take away this heart of stone that I have and give me a heart of flesh. One that hurts for the things of God to come.

I ask that You put Your Spirit within me so that I may be able to walk in Your statutes and obey Your ordinances. I can't follow You on my own. Unless Your Spirit works within me, I have no hope.

Thank You for Your gift of grace and Your Holy Name. Your word says that You are faithful to complete the work You started inside of me. Your word also says that I have been set free of guilt and condemnation. I am so grateful these words of Yours allow me to openly sit before You, own my junk, and leave feeling empowered and not beat down.

This morning I am reminded that I am on a journey that will one day result in all my enemies, both internal and external, being placed under my feet. Help me to wait patiently on that day.