What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
~ 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ~
We are made in God’s image. Just like ancient Roman coins bore the image of the emperor, so too does every human being bear the image of God. As a result, when Jesus tells us to give “to God what belongs to God,” he is telling us to give our whole selves over to God because we bear his image. He is telling us to give God everything we are, everything we have, and everything we do.
~ JP Nunz – We Always Belong Entirely to God – Catholic Exchange Sept. 9, 2019
It is one thing to come to agreement and willingness to give our lives over to the will and care of God as we understand Him. It is an entirely different and difficult truth to embrace that when we do so we no longer are our own. Life is a series of decisions. Some of them are relatively minor, others have lasting impact. I often act on the minor decisions – what to eat, wear whom to speak with – out of my natural behavior patterns. I give such decisions little thought. However, when it comes to the more weighty choices – what job to take, where to live, and the like – I consider the pros and cons and attempt to determine what the right course of action may be. In any case, I am more prone to forget an important backdrop to my decision making: I am not my own because I belong to God.
Isn’t this idea easy to forget? I tended to approach life with a certain autonomy. Live as though I am an independent individual with a responsibility to acknowledge God in worship and sacrifice. My Heavenly Father wants a deeper worship in my own personal life. Rather than living independently of Him while giving Him my respect, I honor Him by living dependently on Him with mindful awareness that every action, every thought, every impulse is to fit into His purposes. I must never act – or even breathe – without this awareness. I have been bought at a costly price. I am His.
The Apostle Paul certainly considered such a surrendered life unto God is a form of slavery and servitude (see Romans 1:1, Galatians 1:10, Philippians 1:1, Titus 1:1), regardless of whether he was free or in prison. Such is a joyful service that carries with it no sense of oppression. How is this possible? Jesus Christ is the epitome of benevolence. He knows our inner most thoughts and being. He is zealous on his intent in fulfilling me to be conformed to His image and likeness. The key for me is living with the knowledge that I am owned and operated by the most loving and qualified being.
As a mindful and spiritual Christian, I live with this wisdom and truth. That I am owned by God. A profound and ever changing individual maturing spiritually into the Christ-likeness of my Savior. My life, and purpose, is to become deeply filled with God’s love, mercy, and grace. My life purpose is to grow unto godliness through mindfully living a godly life. My decisions are affected, my character reformed, and my load lightened. I have lost the right to my own autonomy and the burden of self-rule. It is a wonderful and liberating truth. Everything about me is the concern of my Heavenly Father.
How are you struggling with giving yourself fully over to God’s will and care for your life? Do you believe that by surrendering completely that you no longer are your own person? What fear do you have toward absolute surrender and coming to the truth you belong to God?
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