Three and a half years ago, I bought a cross pendant on my grad trip to Bali. It was beautiful and so intricately created. I loved it and lots of people complimented on it. I wore it every day that it became a part of me.
Three weeks ago, I felt myself telling myself that I would NEVER give my cross necklace away. So many people on my squad and team had given their own necklaces away to people they had met, but I would never do it. My cross necklace was so unique; it was from Indonesia and I had bargained for it. God would never tell me to give something that I treasured and if He did, I wouldn’t do it.
A week and a half ago, the necklace went missing. I went running with a squad mate and after taking it off and putting it in my pocket of my running shorts and putting them in the wash after the run, it was gone and I. WAS. DEVASTATED.
I kept hoping that it would turn up somewhere. I asked the laundry guy if it was stuck in the machine and it wasn’t. I kept rethinking when and how it would have fallen out and where it could be. I didn’t know what to think and when it was time to officially leave the training centre, I had to accept that it was gone and I would never get it back again.
At debrief, one of my squad mates talked about why she had shaved her hair off. She shared that if God actually asked her to shave her hair, would she do it? Her hair became a part of her identity and if she said she has committed her whole life to Christ and God asked her to give Him her hair, would she actually do it? And she did. (Read her blog – http://rachaelmiller.theworldrace.org/?filename=hair-today-gone-tomorrow-why-i-shaved-my-head-part-1)
In Matthew 13:45-46 it says, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” I have found Jesus Christ, who came down, found me and thought I was great value so He chose to DIE FOR MY SINS, just so I can be ALIVE IN HIM and be in RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM. He is of SUCH GREAT value, so why am I holding onto things, like my necklace that have so little value compared to Him?
Today, I officially declare that everything I own and have been given and entrusted with is His.
If He ever asks me to give away something, I will obey and joyfully give because HE is worth MORE than everything and anything that I own. Will you keep me accountable to this and also think about what is your one GREAT value and what would YOU give away for that one thing.
