I will

I'm sitting at work watching the Inauguration

Everyone who is anyone is there...

military service men and women

... a second ago the cameras focused in on the bodyguards

Which made me think about an interesting fact that Ron brought up this weekend. He said that in order to be a bodyguard for the President of the United States, you can not be married.
I've never thought about that before. The logic here, is that if you are married you might second guess your decision to protect the President. You might think, "should I do this? What will happen to my wife... my kids"? There isn't anything wrong with these questions. But a bullet doesn't slow down for thought-processing. And that split second can mean life or death.

And so I got to thinking.

In order to live fully for Christ we can't be married.

I guess what I mean is that, Christ deserves our all. Every single ounce of what we can give. And that is a hard thing to do when we have things we are married to. Now, it doesn't have to be a literal marriage with all the vows and white. But anything that we give our heart to. For instance, some people are married to their job. Their job becomes what they devote their time and energy to, and then at the end of the day, if there is any time to spare, they may spend some time hanging with Jesus.

Or how about being married to academics. Some of us can spend 97% of our time studying and memorizing formulas ... equation upon equation until we can't cram anything else into our little brains. And then when it comes to studying scripture, we don't have time.

I think, sometimes, I am married to obligation. A life of doing. I serve and serve and serve. Worship team, elevation, ignite, programming, random stuff. I am an "I will" gal. And when I start doing all of these things and having task upon task I lose sight of why I'm doing it. I lose sight of why I said "I will" in the first place. It becomes some duty I need to fulfill.

A few years ago, I was at youth group as a small group leader. After the service ended I was told about a girl in one of the groups. The group had been asked, "If Jesus came back today and asked you to drop everything and follow him, would you?"

Her answer, "No. I don't think I could leave my boyfriend"

The question was later tagged with something to the effect of "What is the worst thing about Hell"

Her answer, "no shoes"

It saddens my heart to even write that. I still know this girl. And even though she puts on a good face and attends church when she's home...she hasn't changed. It's still about the world. She's entered into a marriage with stuff. She has a boyfriend who she communicates with by using a large amount foul words coated with no respect.

.... I don't ever want to be that.

I don't ever want to get to a point where I would say 'I won't' to Jesus, because I like convenience and comfort and stuff and a boy. Because I married myself to obligation and plans. I want the reason I say 'I will' to always be a verbal affirmation of my devotion to follow Christ. To follow His plan...whatever that entails.

I want the reason that I say "I will" to be because I am married to Christ alone. Because nothing is greater than His love for His people. Absolutely nothing.

Back to the bodyguards. They understand the core of devotion. What it truely means. And that devotion isn't just about saying 'i will', but living a life that exemplifies that statement. It starts with wanting it, but somewhere along the way we have to actually live it. We have to live the 'I will".