IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT ME!

 IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT ME!

By Mary Ann Wray

“Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed.” Jeremiah 48:11

There was a popular Country Western Song entitled , “Lets talk about me.” Evidently the premise of the song is that his girlfriend or wife was so self-absorbed that all she wanted to do was talk about herself, her needs etc. etc. and it plucked her boyfriend’s last nerve! His needs and wants went completely unnoticed-at least that is how he felt. Finally, the young man had enough and decided to turn the tables around and let his girl know how he really felt. It was time to talk about himself for a while... “Let’s talk about me me me me me.” Now he was the one who was self-absorbed! Ha ha! The truth of the matter is that in a relationship there is give and give. Both partners have to be willing to give 100% of themselves to each other. That is the basis of a marriage covenant. All that I have belongs to my spouse; all he has belongs to me. I need to put his needs above my own and visa versa. Couples have to be willing to communicate in such a way that they hear each other and act on what they hear and what God is showing them to do and change in the relationship.

Because of the Blood Covenant we have with God through the shed blood of Jesus, we definitely have the better end but it can’t stop there. God doesn’t save us just for our sake. He has a greater plan and purpose in everything he does. He is the quintessential visionary. He is the ultimate day planner. He is the consummate time manager. Whatever God does he does with a long range purpose. Whomever God calls He calls for a destined plan. Ephesians 1:11 says it this way, “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his own will.” 

God’s plan and purpose for your life reaches far beyond just you. God’s call and promise to Abraham reached far beyond himself. It was a promise to his seed and his seed’s seed. In fact God told Abraham this, “And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.” Genesis 17: 6

Did you catch that? It was an everlasting covenant! Every time God established a covenant with man it reached far beyond the individual and was destined for their seed after them. Since God is the grand harvester his vision encompasses much more than what our natural eyes can see and much more what our human intellect can comprehend!

We see in the book of Ephesians that Jesus Christ fills all things (Ephesians 4: 10), completes all things and that we are risen with him and seated in heavenly places. In chapter 3 verse 15 the Bible says that EVERY family in heaven and earth is named in him! The vision started with Abraham, was fulfilled in Isaac, who was the type and shadow of Christ himself and is now revealed in us-his church! We are predestined in Christ to be the express image of his glory. He is coming for a glorious church without spot or wrinkle!

David had the vision to build a house for the Lord but couldn’t after he shed innocent blood. However, he passed that vision down to his son Solomon. David said, "My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the LORD should be of great magnificence and fame and splendor in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it." So David made extensive preparations before his death.” 1 Chronicles 22: 5 

Likewise, Jesus went to prepare a place for us so that where he went we may go also! He wasn’t just talking about the great by and by. He was talking about the here and now. He said upon this “Rock” (the revelation of himself as the Christ-Messiah-the Head of HIS Church. In other words, HE would build his church, HIS way, through HIS gifts, AND the gates of hell would NEVER prevail against it! God gets the greatest glory when he takes an ordinary life and fills it with plan, purpose and destiny; HIS plans, HIS purpose and HIS destiny. He is an exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think God!

When a man or woman truly exchanges their life for Christ’s life we always get the better end of the trade off! That is how the love, grace and mercy of God are demonstrated. We love because He first loved us. We are saved by Grace through faith not of our own works lest any man boast. The mercy of God was demonstrated this way…while we were without strength Christ died for the ungodly! Though Christ was rich, he became poor that through his poverty we might be made rich. (2 Corinthians 8: 9)

 So herein lays this caution; He blesses us to be a blessing. He gives us vision and purpose to help others achieve HIS  plans and purpose through them. He calls us so that others may hear his call. When we forget that we can become self-centered, selfish and wind up totally miserable. Moab forgot to pour out from vessel to vessel; his scent remained unchanged. Moab forgot about his fallen brethren; those in captivity. He was self-centered. What changes me the most is when I pour out of what God has poured into me. The more I pour out, the more God can pour back in. He always replenishes what I give out. He is an exceeding abundant above all we can ask or think God. He is truly more than enough!

The enemy wants us to fear lack, so he lies and tells us that if we give something away we will lose it. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Jesus’ principle of life is to lose it (in God) so that we might save it; to give that we may receive; to die to self so that we can be resurrected in his glory. It’s not that God wants us to throw caution to the wind and be reckless with our giving or mindless in our decision making but rather realize that life and the success of it depends on the principle of pouring out. If I pour out encouragement to others, God will pour it back into me. If I pour out hope to others, God will pour it back into me. If I pour out finances to others and the work of His kingdom, God will pour back into me. 

The wonderful thing about God is that he never pours back in the proportion that we pour out. He will not be one upped by anyone! He always pours back into our lives in an exceeding abundant measure!!! That is how we are changed. That is how I am moved, that is how I reflect his glory by pouring out vessel to vessel!