I made a choice today to do something hard. In obedience and faith. It didn’t feel great. It felt awkward. It was unseen. It won’t have immediate fruit and I realized I still have fears. But, it was also exciting and glorious. It will eventually be fruitful and I feel awakened in many ways.
It reminded me of one of the most fascinating Scriptures:
“It could even be said that Levi, the ancestor of every Jewish priest who received tithes, actually paid tithes to Melchizedek through Abraham. For although Levi was yet unborn, the seed from which Levi came was present in Abraham when he paid his tithe to Melchizedek.” Hebrews 7:9, TPT
I reflected on the reality that the choices Abraham made, while carrying his grandson Levi in the form of a seed, were working as a catalyst for Levi’s purpose in God BEFORE HE WAS EVER EVEN BORN. Righteousness was already present and acting for him, four generations before he was ever seen. Wow!
Abraham’s obedience unlocked his future.
When we choose to surrender ourselves to the purposes of Christ in our daily lives, in our homes, in the voting booths, etc., even when it is incredibly hard, we are sowing into the will of God for the unborn, into the seed of our future, and into the leadership of the nations to come. The ripple effect is that we are also sowing into our own future success. We are investors in God’s company of purpose and people that don’t even yet exist but have great consequence in Christ to release heaven on earth.
So, I don’t ever want to underestimate the power of even my smallest choices, my voice, or my vote. I don’t want to minimize what my feelings can’t grasp and my eyes can’t see.
Even when there is no immediate reward or consequence for our efforts as husbands, wives, employees, parents, and citizens, what we say and do is actively catalyzing our culture and the nation and there will be established fruit.
There are so many people who make hard choices in Christ every day and so many of those choices are much harder than I can imagine or have ever experienced. But I just wanted to say to you and me…who are in the culture wars of complacent and comfortable Christianity….
Keep going. Keep it up. Keep pursuing Christ and His Word. Keep obeying the Holy Spirit. Do the right and difficult things even when they don’t feel good. Speak up. Seize the day. It’s worth it now and it will be worth it in the end.
“…And now we have run into his heart to hide ourselves in his faithfulness. This is where we find his strength and comfort, for he empowers us to seize what has already been established ahead of time…” Hebrews 6:18
Jamie
Partnering in Prayer: Thank you Lord for reminding us that every day and every choice matters. Give us great courage as Your people to stand up, speak up, and live up to your Word in this incredible season. Awaken us anew and give us great boldness to continue pressing forward and living consistently above what we see, hear, and feel in a world that desires immediate reward. Give us your heart for the unborn and the unknown and move on our hearts to make righteous and difficult choices that will preserve our faith, freedoms, and future in You. Let it spill over into the world to preserve and bless the lives of those who don’t even yet know you. Amen.
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