“Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received (as a Gift) from God? You are not your own.” I Corinthians 6:19 (Amplified Bible)

Not Your Own

This morning in my time with the Lord, this verse was in my reading, and the Holy Spirit stopped me. I reread the verse. As I was thinking about the day ahead, my chores, work schedule, “me” time schedule, these words came to mind again  My time is actually the Lord’s! I can’t have just a passing idea of niceness toward others and going with my agenda. It’s all about Him, His agenda, “His will be done.”

This actually gave me peace and relief realizing He orders the steps of my day, moment by moment, when I submit. I simply need to give my heart and mind over to what He chooses to happen, because I am not my own. Thinking about this, I pondered how at my job, I am not my own. In driving, I am not my own. In conversation with my husband and others, I am not my own.

As 1 Corinthians 6:20 (Amplified Bible) goes on, “You were bought with a price (purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own). So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body!” When meditating upon this reason, the love of God that passes all understanding consumed me in reality of what my wonderful, gracious Lord Jesus did by laying His glorious, universally royal, life down at the cross to reverse sin’s results and transfer His righteousness to us, giving us the ability not to sin and to walk as He directs in what is really best, not in my puny, fleshly desires that compete with His.

Then, overwhelmed with the reality of the impossibility on my own (how can I possibly honor and glorify You, Lord?), speaking to my heart, He said to pray, submit, commit, and enjoy His thoughts and peace, and then do as He leads with His attitude. It’s a moment by moment choice.

Jesus’ prayer in Matthew 6:10 is, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  His will, not my will. Sometimes I have a convoluted image of obedience and my own justification of my actions, but it should be wholehearted surrender, giving up my control (of my adult children’s decisions, or timing of situations) and resting in Him and His will. Then, do as He directs. In His all-knowing, all-powerful character and economy, He has the universe and certainly my concerns under complete control.

What a glorious Savior! We get sidetracked and distracted, yet trusting and letting go of our worries and self-driven motives, there is peace! All we have to do is comply and watch Him work out His best in each situation.

“Dear Lord, all I can say is thank You! I lay it all down at Your feet today and trust Your outcomes. In Your precious, glorious Name, Amen.”