I remember as a young boy I would gaze aimlessly outside when it rained. I felt like somewhere, someone was calling me, whom I was in love with, but I've never met. Crazy, huh! I could hardly supress that deep longing for love that resulted in me singing romantic love songs in the shower. I felt that one day someone would show up and I'll fall heads over heels.
Fast forward into my early 20s, I felt a sudden detachment from everyone and everything, even friends and families that once brought me great comfort and love. I spent hours, days, weeks, and eventually years, as I searched for my childhood sweetheart that I had never forgotten.
I heard stories growing up about this “Jesus” fellow and to me that was just stories they told kids who behaved badly. I remember one day I was isolated in my room when I started singing a romantic song and all of a sudden my long lost childhood friend came back. My shock and amazement to find out that this “Jesus” everyone have been talking about was my long lost love.
I stayed in my room attentively reading how He gave up everything for the ones He loved. I learned that you can serve God regardless of your station in life. Prayer and solitude are just as important as a pulpit ministry. This world finally started making sense to me.
Giving up the world for the one you love
Jesus was offered all the treasures in the world (Luke chapter 4, verses 1-14) but that was nothing compared to the treasure of dying on the cross for the ones He loved. His deeds mirrored the actions of a hopeless romantic. I knew that if I was to follow this lifestyle, it will be costly. The unfulfillment and emptiness that the world offers, the riches, the status, and the esteems are but mere faecal matter compared to the joy of a radical life lived only for Jesus. You cannot love the world and love God (1 John chapter 2, verses 15-16).
I knew that if I was to truly love, I had to give up all that is dear to me to follow my heart. Following the Word of God is far more important than following the word of any man no matter how well learned or influential the man may be. Jesus asked us to be like Him and gave His life as the perfect example. Denying ourselves and embracing our cross to live whatever life God desires of us should be our ultimate goal.
Serving God regardless of your station in life
Not everyone is called to leave the world for a radical life. I once thought that I was called to this radical life of leaving it all behind, but I learned that God has a specific calling for everyone that would lead them to holiness.
Any existence on this earth can be consecrated to give praise to Jesus. King David was called to be in the world but still consecrated many times out of his days to singing to God. Mary was called to be a wife and mother. She submitted her will to whatever the role required as service to God.
God doesn’t want us to do what we want. He wants us to do what He wants. God sacrificed everything for us but sacrificing everything for God will not fashion us into His image. It’s our obedience as mentioned in Jeremiah chapter 7, verses 21-23. A life of sacrifice is a life of self-will to your desires and what you feel you want to give up. A life of obedience is total reliance on the Spirit of God and its day to day requirements.
If God has called you to a simple life of charity and prayer, this is greater than you following your flesh. Even if you became a world famous evangelist, the questions is, did God call you to that? True obedience is walking in the fullness of what God has called you to do, even if you remain nameless, faceless or anonymous till the end of your days.
A life of prayer and solitude is just as important as public ministry
Many times the power of prayer is down played because we do not readily see its power as opposed to public ministry where we receive cheers and applause for our knowledge and understanding of God’s word. God purposely hides how effective our prayers are so we don’t become prideful. He does things to mitigate against the effects of our fleshly and carnal nature. Most people give little credit to prayer and would prefer being in the public and receiving love, but great are those little things you do for God when you get no reward or fame for doing them. To be the least is to be the greatest (Matthew chapter 23, verses 5-12).
Conclusion
I have chosen to be obedient to the call of Christ, even to His most radical will for my life; no matter what it may be for love of my one true love and childhood sweetheart. I urge everyone to pursue their God given assignment the radical way, putting all the cares of the world to the side lines and be a hopeless romantic for Jesus. Giving your will to His will even if it displeases you - even at the cost of losing friends and family, and even giving up your dream career or status among men.
Whatever God wishes, so shall it be! Whatever life God has assigned you to live whether in the world or out of it, He will give you grace by His power but only when you are willing to be made willing.
My name is Marko Dewar. I am a 27yrs old from Kingston, Jamaica that just recently moved to Chicago, IL. I am an aspiring author, mentor, and life coach. I received Jesus in 2017 and I have made a commitment to live only for Him. I became a young writer with Christian Today through recommendation from Darren Salmon.