"Throw the whole of your anxiety upon Him, because He Himself cares for you"
1 Peter 5:7
Years ago, (when I was in the Army and stationed in Germany), I met a young man who attended the church my family and I attended on one of the local kaserne's, (Army bases). I had previously noticed how he faithfully attended Sunday service and Bible study and often Sunday School. There were occasions when he would also travel with the church across Germany as we went to fellowship with other congregations within our faith. He and I eventually became somewhat good friends. I was a young minister at the time and I once asked him if he had decided what ministry he wanted to become involved with within the church. He stated that he was quite content just attending the church and contributing to the cause monetarily.
As our friendship progressed the subject came up again as to why he did not desire to find a meaningful place in the ministry of our church He then confessed that some years ago his grandmother had become desperately ill; near the point of death. He told me how he went to God in fervent prayer and pleaded for the life of his beloved grandmother. He promised God that if He would allow his grandmother to live that he would turn away from the riotous and self-serving life he was living and go to church at every opportunity.
God was faithful and his grandmother made a miraculous recovery; perhaps because of his prayers or because of the sheer mercies of God, I do not know. My friend went on to say that he believed that if he did not hold up his side of "the bargain" that God would not keep His and his grandmother would be taken from this life.
I lost contact with my friend after my time in Germany was served. I sometimes wonder if he still is attending church under his deal with the Lord. I do not fault him, or anyone else, who is "stuck" in such a situation with God. After all, it is what we have learned to do through erroneous teachings of things passed down to us through generations or perhaps from within the very church(s) we may attend.
My friends, God is not a God of 'bargains and side-deals'. He is not like a mafia member with whom you made a deal with in some dark alley and now threatens to break your knee caps because you are now not able to uphold your end of the deal. 2 Timothy 2:13 states "If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for he cannot deny Himself." In other words, our faith may fail in a particular thing; we may even find that our previous resolution we made to God is too much for us to uphold so we stay in church and go through the motions; devoid of any real power in Christ. The faith and promises of God never wanes. What we may have, our success or even our ability to succeed is not based on our promises or vows we make to God but rather because of His promises to us. If you, or someone you know, is living a life serving God but are doing so under shame or conviction or because of a vow you once made but are now unable to keep, I want you to know that God did not give it to you. God wants us to serve Him in freedom and in peace of mind. Today, be free.
I love you all,
Dennis
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