That's been the entire theme of God's words to me this week. From encouragement flowing from my friends to the sermons I have listened to, the devotions I am reading, and the scripture I have been digging through. It's not about what you do. It's about following Christ, abiding in Him (Colossians 3:1-4), allowing Christ to live through your life during the day to day, in the small stuff (2 Peter 1:3-10), and knowing that your value and worth reside solely in Him and in the cross.
I have been so focused on Africa, this "big sacrifice of time and self", this trip that I hoped would help define my life and give it purpose, make meaning of my faith...that I had it backwards.
My whole life and purpose is Christ, and what follows after that is only an outpouring of His love through my obedience. That is what it's about.
"My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers is easily my favorite devotional, actually I am pretty sure it is the only one I own. He said it wonderfully:
"The mark of a saint is the moral originality which springs from abandonment to Jesus Christ. In the life of a saint there is this amazing wellspring of original life all the time; the Spirit of God is a well of water springing up, perennially fresh. The saint realizes that it is God who engineers circumstances, consequently there is no whine, but a reckless abandonment to Jesus. Never make a principal out of your experience; let God be as original with other people as He is with you."
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