Giving it All doesn't mean losing Ourself!

Oswald Chambers speaks of "abandonment to God" in today's devotion. As I read that, a song played on my ipod with the lyrics "letting go - giving it all to God".

Over the years, I've come to see "giving it all to God" very differently. I used to equate that to what we did in coming to the mission field. We sold it all and obeyed God! But, that wasn't necessarily the "all" He was asking for. Sometimes we have to get rid of "things" because they are confusing us about our true value. Other times, people have the right understanding of "things" and God blesses them with much because He knows that all they have will be used for His glory. It's really much more than "things" that I'm talking about.

What I've learned is that abandonment to God doesn't mean losing the unique individual God made us to be. I understand much more now about God's unique design for each of us suiting His purposes. If He created each of us for His purposes, did He mean for us to completely disappear and be consumed as "church ladies" or "church men"? Of course not. If He created each of us uniquely, why do so many people in the church look and act the same?

Moving here required a lot of abandonment of self! And, often we have to bend the knee and recommit daily abandonment to just survive. God has shown me that my uniqueness has a purpose everywhere I live. He didn't mean for me to lose Marsha at any place or at any stage in life. Doing that sets aside His purposes for the person that He made me to be. I've seen that it's hard to be used by God when you lose yourself to the stress of life and the constant challenge to blend in. Honestly, blending in takes constant work and attention to "self". There have been some freedoms that I've had to give up over the years - and I've done that. But, there are other things that have been asked of me that would have changed who God has made me to be. There was a clear point in time that God revealed that my uniqueness was perfectly planned to serve a purpose - no matter where I live and no matter what age I am.

We can "let go and give it all to God" and still be the person God wants us to be. We don't have to be afraid of being unique or different. When we finally get to the point we understand "abandonment" to God, we'll begin to realize He wants to live through us as individuals.

Think about these individuals. Each of them profess (or professed when they were living) a relationship with Christ. Each of them committed to "let go" of their plan for their lives and allow God to use their uniqueness for His purposes in their generation.

Ruth Graham - (don't think she's unique - read Franklin's book "Rebel With A Cause ")

Ronald Reagan - He never lost himself!

George W. Bush - Unique for sure! Committed to be God's man in his day.

Amy Carmichael - Uniquely suited for India

Lottie Moon - who would ever forget this tiny woman's commitment to let go of it all!

Cassie Bernall - gave it all at Columbine High School! Remember her uniqueness!

Frances Chan - His uniqueness is being lived out before us all to God's glory

Johnny Hunt - no one like Pastor Johnny! I don't want to lose his uniqueness and boldness.

Those are all famous people - let me close by telling you about some amazingly unique people giving it all for God today and not losing the uniqueness of God's design, but aren't quite so well-known.

Kirk - A true southern farm boy who was transformed by God's love after years in a "religion" without relationship. Uniquely created for life in South Asia farming country to tell others of God's love.

Joanne - A woman who experienced God's love so personally that she "breathes" in Christ so that she can "exhale" the love of God to everyone she meets. She looks at every moment of life in NC as a God-thing!

Leslie - A woman who experienced some of the worst things a woman can imagine, who took those unique experiences and allowed God to use her to reach out to women on U.S. college campuses and in SE Asia

Lena - A young woman in western Ukraine who is gifted, talented and educated ... not seeking the best for herself, but using her gifts, talent, education and unique personality to seek God's best for women who don't know that God loves them and wants a relationship with them.

Abandonment to God means that nothing has a hold on us but God! He'll use our uniqueness and even our imperfections in our generation. He designed us and gave us life. We don't lose ourself when we give our life to Him ..... that's when we start living and realizing the best we can be!