Commit your way to the Lord;trust in him, and he will act. Psalm 37:5
Study Guide
You may have heard someone say that they had “committed their life to Christ”. The use of the word commit implies a degree of permanence. Jesus used a word that was far more aggressive, the word DIE. He spoke of having to die to one’s self. Dying to one’s self means ceasing to live with selfish motives and ambitions. This is a primary step to being a child of God and being used by Him to help others know Him. When we demand our own ways in life and cling to “our” rights, “our” possessions and “our” wants, desires and preferences we remain blind to the opportunities God has to change us and use us to love others. Loving others is in fact what Jesus said was one of the two greatest commandments. In fact the greatest commandment was to love the Lord with all of your heart, sou, mind and strength. That may seem a bit odd at first, to love God who you haven’t seen. In the section below are some things to think about to spur on love for your Heavenly Father.
Verses to Think About
Click on the “Bible” under “Additional Resources” and read Psalm 139;then answer these questions.
What are some of the things God has knowledge of concerning you?
In verse 6 the psalmist says this complete knowledge is too “wonderful” for him. This type of knowledge might also be a bit fearful. Why isn’t the psalmist afraid? What does this tell us about God when He knows all about our faults yet we don’t need to be afraid of Him?
Read verse 16 again. What does that tell you about the purpose of life, your days etc.
How does God feel about you according to verse 17? Is He distant or interested in your life?
The last two verses are a prayer the psalmist prays to God based on the knowledge and love God has for him. Take a moment and think about what this prayer means. Put it into your own words if you can and pray it from your heart. This is one of many responses to the love of the Father for us as we trust Him.
Response
What area(s) of your life are not fully committed to Jesus Christ? Can you think of something that you are afraid to give over to God? Why might you be fearful? Usually we are afraid to let God be God in some parts of our lives because we don’t quite get this one scripture… “What then shall we say to all this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare even His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not also with Him freely and graciously give us all other things?” Romans 8:31-32
If God is FOR YOU… Wait? He is FOR me? Yes, He is. That means when He takes care of an area of your life it is really about what is best for you. True, He may say “no” to some things in your life but if He does, we need to trust that He does it for our benefit. Take a moment and think about each area of your life… Commit each of these areas to God, trusting in His goodness towards you in all things. Remember fromPsalm 139 that He knows you intimately and loves you just the same. You can trust in His grace, guidance and understanding. Think about these… relationships, attitudes, finances, recreation etc… Take a quiet moment to tell God how you feel and ask Him for the strength to do what He requires.
