Commitment is Hard

   "The imperative need spiritually is to sign the death warrant of the disposition of sin, to turn all emotional impressions and intellectual beliefs into a moral verdict against the disposition of sin, viz., my claim to my right to myself. Paul says - "I have been crucified with Christ"; he does not say - "I have determined to imitate Jesus Christ," or, "I will endeavour to follow Him" - but - "I have been identified with Him in His death." When I come to such a moral decision and act upon it, then all that Christ wrought for me on the Cross is wrought in me. The free committal of myself to God gives the Holy Spirit the chance to impart to me the holiness of Jesus Christ."

   Such a long quote today, but it is hard to separate out one part to key on. There is so much there. I have read and reread it at least 20 times and still don't get it all.

   "I have been crucified with Christ". Galatians 2:20. I give up the right to myself, voluntarily. It is easier to say that I will try to follow Jesus, or imitate Him, but to give up my right to myself, to make an actual commitment to be completely identified with Him, that is hard.

   The questions arise: Can I actually do it and follow through? How can I do it? My "want to" has to translate into my "will do".

   I make commitments every day: I'll substitute teach for you tomorrow, I'll play golf on Friday with you, I'll do the video study for your group on Sunday. These are not earth shattering commitments, just those that I say I will do, and someone will expect me to follow through. They are of limited duration and have a definite time frame connected with them.

   The commitment to be identified with Jesus Christ is not open ended. It is for eternity, and that is a long time. It needs supernatural strength, and I surely cannot do it on my own. It is for the long term, but it is to be lived out one day at a time. I cannot see how it works out, but I really don't have to. My commitment is to a Person and not to a scenario.