Whole

​Quarantine is a condition of forced isolation often imposed upon those with a contagious disease, or to determine if someone is in fact infected.  My computer has the capability to quarantine off sectors in which a virus has been discovered.  This built-in protective measure is intended to keep my hard drive from crashing!  

I struggle to quarantine that part of my will that dares to run in opposition to God’s will.  The Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 10:4,5, “. . . We demolish arguments and every high-minded thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, taking every thought captive to obey Christ.”  Paul understood the crucial importance of imprisoning renegade thoughts that sit like mines ready to maim the dedicated spirit moving to please God.  

If someone offered you a doughnut with a bite taken from it how appealing would it be to you?  If I offer God myself minus that part of me that I reserve to satisfy my own selfishness, how pleasing am I to God?  As much as He loves me I know He wants all of me!  And I, if I am honest, want all of Him.  Who trumpets the song of the half-hearted?
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Personally, I’m glad that God wants total obedience, total commitment, total holiness, total faithfulness, and total love.  I’d hate to serve a Lord content to receive anything less than my best.  God pays us the highest of compliments by desiring all of us.  Only an awesome Father would be so diligent to seek 100% of His children, to bring them to a glory that surpasses our greatest imagination. Are you standing on your chair cheering!!
 
Meditation
1 Thessalonians 5:23--Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely. And may your spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
 
Is your life a puzzling contradiction of competing loyalties?  Are you tired of spinning in the cycle of “I wish I didn’t”?  What better time than now to ask God to give you the strength to clean out those rooms of rebellion where He is not welcome.  Courage!  Will you pray the prayer of the saint intent on being wholly devoted?  
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Holy Father, give me the strength to serve You wholeheartedly!  Afford me the grace to say no to sin.  Ignite in my spirit the unquenchable fire of love and reverence for You.  Lord of the heavens fill my earthly jar with Your inspiring Spirit—all of me, for all of time and all for Your eternal glory!  Amen.
 
Inspiration
My conception of God must embrace the whole of my life.  When I see the Lord truly I see Him as God of my whole being; if He is only God in sections of me, He is not God at all.—Oswald Chambers in He Shall Glorify Me
 
©2000 Daniel York  ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)