MY Reckless Abandonment

A few months ago my friend Martha posted a blog entry on "Reckless abandonment" for Jesus. Here's a snippet (directly below, in italics) that speaks so much to me in the place that I am at right now. God is asking me to let go of the tight grasp I have on certain people and things that replace his satisfaction, fulfillment, and joy in my life. I have also included a portion of a devotional entry that spoke the same message to me very recently (further down).

I love that phrase – Reckless Abandonment.  I can just feel the freedom saturating those words.  In order to abandon things, truly abandon them, there is a wild passion behind it.  It is the type of passion that drives crazy people to do the impossible.  It is the type of passion that makes people believe that dreams are possible, and that Kingdom can truly come.  I have been learning this month, that to truly go to the deeper places of God, we must because people of Reckless Abandonment.  There are so many things in this world that are holding us back from the dynamic things of God.  How tightly do I hold on to things, and am I willing to break everything at Jesus' feet in order to follow him.  As much as I don't want to admit it, abandonment is the message of the Gospels.  Every person that Jesus called to follow him had to completely abandon their old life.  They didn't just have to leave their past mistakes behind, they were even called to abandon the good, God-given things.  This is the place that God has been calling me to this month.  A few days ago, I felt God calling me to abandon even more than I already have.  At first I was resistant.  I kept praying, "God I've given up my family, my home, my bed, what else do you want me to give up?"  And yet he called me deeper.  I began breaking the things that he was asking me at his feet in a sign of submission and abandonment.  Even though it is hard to break the things that you love, it is also the most freeing thing in the world.

"From Center to Circumference," Come Away, My Beloved (Frances J. Roberts)

I ask you not to do, but to be. For whatsoever is of the flesh is flesh; but when you allow My spirit to have FREE COURSE, when you cease to interfere with My moving within you, then those things that shall be accomplished both within and through you will be truly the LIFE OF GOD. For My Spirit is the Spirit of Life, and My Spirit is the motivating power of Divine energy. All else is death. As it is written, “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 15:50) Neither can man through any endeavor of his own, however holy his purpose, produce this life, which does not exist apart from the direct activity of the Spirit of God.

For I am with you and I am in you to make you neither barren nor unfruitful. I am in you to give you life, and to give it to you abundantly, yes life without limit. For all I am able to do for you is limited only by My omnipotence and My eternal, everlasting life and power. And to these there are no limits! Lo, I wait to bless you; I wait to give you of My fullness. I delight to do for you, because I love you beyond your power to begin to know. Only drop those things you grasp in your hand, and place your hands in Mine. Only pull your eyes form those things you hold precious, and I will fill them with My glory. Release your affections from all others. Place in My hands those you hold dear. Leave them in My keeping: for so shall your heart be set free to seek Me without distraction. For when I am to you more precious than all else; and when you love Me more than you love any other, THEN shall you know COMPLETE SATISFACTION. Your peace shall flow as a river, and your joy shall overflow as a fountain, and My glory shall be poured out as the fragrant anointing oil upon all your other relationships.

For I do not intend to strip you of earthly ties and joys, but I long to have you give Me the center of your life that My blessing may flow out to the circumference. For My Spirit moves not from the circumference to the center, but from the center to the circumference.

So yield to me your inmost consciousness. Offer Me not some random portion of your affections, but give Me that deepest portion of your heart, yes, that which seems to be your very life itself. In truth it is so. For you yield Me your life only as you offer Me your love. For this reason I have said love is the fulfillment of the law. So give me wholly your heart’s affections, and I will meet your every need.

Seek first the Kingdom of Heaven; set your desires wholly to obtain the riches of God, and all other things shall be freely supplied as the needs arise.

Only be very diligent in the quest, for the enemy always lies in wait that he may through evil device turn you aside. Be not overtaken by his wiles. Set your face like flint. Lay aside every weight and deliberately remove every hindrance. Give yourself to prayer. You have My word, yes, you have My promise, that those who seek shall find. And My promises are sure, and My Word shall never pass away  (Matthew 24:35).  --Come Away, My Beloved (Frances J. Roberts)