The Secret of Great Living

"What is the secret to great living? Entire separation to Christ and devotion to Him. Thus speaks every man and woman whose life has made more than a passing flicker in the spiritual realm. It is the life that has no time for trifling that counts.”

~Amy Charmichael

I don't know about you, but that is seriously my favorite qoute.  Ever.  There is so much depth in a statement like that........no time for trifling........entire separation to Christ....devotion to Him...

That speaks of a life that is going to look much, much different than the average one.  Even the average Christian life.  Even the average Christian homeschooler's life.  That qoute is talking about an incredibly radical way of living - being completely and utterly Christ-focused.

That little sentence, "entire separation to Christ and devotion to Him" makes me look at my own life, and feel a little ashamed, actually. 

If I were entirely separated to Christ, how would I spend my free time?  What would my devotional life look like?  What changes would be made in the area of prayer and Scripture memorization?



                                                      (Please pretend that's a bee up there on the flower.  Please.  The fly looks dumb, I know.)

      These are deep questions, friends!  But I'm wondering, instead of just reading them on the page (or writing them, in my case)....what if we actually asked ourselves these questions, in all honesty before God?  And then acted on them? 

 If we just go with mainstream America and let our lives, our values, our priorities, our dress, our habits, our everything be dictated by what the world says, we won't be making any kind of impact on others around us.  If we just go with what we "feel" instead of what Truth tells us, we are going to have very unstable lives, indeed. 

Consider that phrase, "no time for trifling".

We have so little time here on earth.......how could we possibly waste even a minute of it on our own self-focused pursuits?  It just seems to me that, after everything Jesus went through for us, after all He's done, considering the immense love with which He loves us, realizing the incredible plan He has for my life........

How can I live for myself?

How can I honestly doodle around and be consumed with my own "thing" and still feel good about it?  Each one of us was created by God to do something amazing for His glory and honor - it seems like an incredible waste to turn that down for my own interests. 

This whole issue of living for Jesus boils down to the everyday stuff.  What activities am I letting take first place in my life?  How am I spending my money?  What goals and dreams do I have?  How am I treating my most treasured relationships? 

As Leslie Ludy (one of my favorite authors) puts it,

"So many of us seek fulfillment from guys, social status, and pop-culture attractions. But a young woman who is truly fulfilled, radiant, and beautiful is one who has made Jesus Christ her all in all, her first love, her true Prince. A young woman who has truly become a living sacrifice for her Prince is one who will change this world for eternity."

Wow.  I'll leave it at that.......may we all strive to use every minute of our lives for HIS glory!