Living Wholeheartedly for Him, our King

Thank you for the calls, texts and messages pouring in asking about our well-being after tornadoes swept through Alabama. I know many of your states were affected by spring storms as well. Pray for recovery efforts.

This week readings from two books converged with the storms. In Secrets to Surrender: Living Wholeheartedly, Debby Akerman says, “At times, our surrendered hearts whine a little and the words I want or I deserve tremble on our lips. Our wants overcome our contentment in sacrifice. Our joy in serving is stolen by a desire that grows. Sometimes a storm of life is required for God to get our attention and make a midcourse correction to return us to living wholeheartedly for Him, our King.”

I have also been reading a book by Elisabeth Elliott given to me by Rosalie Hunt. The book is entitled, A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael. She was an Irish Christian Missionary in India for 55 years without furlough. As a young adult, she sent her mother a letter. The opening words said, “My Precious Mother, Have you given your child unreservedly to the Lord for whatever He wills? …O may He strengthen you to say YES to Him if He asks something which costs.”

Her mother’s response surely gave Amy courage to answer God’s call. Mrs. Carmichael wrote to her daughter, “Yes, dearest Amy, He has lent you to me all these years. He only knows what a strength, comfort and joy you have been to me. In sorrow He made you my staff and solace, in loneliness my more than child companion, and in gladness my bright and merry-hearted sympathizer. So, darling, when He asks you now to go away from within my reach, can I say nay? No, no, Amy, He is yours – you are His – to take you where He pleases and to use you as He pleases. I can trust you to Him and I do…All day He has helped me, and my heart unfailingly says, ‘Go ye.’”

As we move toward resurrection Sunday, may we focus on living wholeheartedly for Him, our King. May He strengthen us to say YES if He asks something which costs.

Written by Sandy Wisdom-Martin