MAKE THE TRADE
I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one. As you are in me, Father and I am in you. And may they be in us, so that the world will believe you sent me. (John 17:21)
More of you, Lord! I need more of you! I really do experience anxiety much, except when I start praying things like this. God’s response to my prayer was, “Make the trade! You for Me!” Isn’t that what we want? Talking about it is a great idea, but doing it is what changes things. Jesus, in a message to the religious folks and all around Him, said that now that they know these things, they should do them. We need to make the trade. We shouldn’t put it off. We should just do it quickly.
What is your story? This is what I asked a waitress recently. It was the Lord leading and providing and I could not help but do what He said. Her response was that she had moved to keep herself out of trouble. I responded with, “you’ve been in trouble?” She assured me that she had been. I told her that I had been in trouble, until Jesus changed my life and asked if that was her story, and she assured me that indeed Jesus had rescued her. I was so happy for her. When I left, I handed her some money and encouraged her to keep loving Jesus. It was a happy moment.
Have you been in trouble? I used to drive fast. If you have ever driven fast, you don’t think about being in trouble until the lights come on and siren signals to pull over! Our trip in life is a bit like that. We speed along doing our own thing until trouble comes. It was a clear awareness that I was in trouble that changed my life. The word of God made me very aware that I was in trouble, and I had no idea what to do about it. I was leaning on a door post waiting to ask someone what I needed to do. I did not really find out right away, but I knew Jesus must have my answer.
Jesus always has the answer. We simply must go to Him ready to make the trade. What He says. What He wants. Where He leads. Trade your trouble. Trade your wants. Just follow His lead.
If we are willing to make the trade, we will not be disappointed. We are simply prepared at all times, to trade what is not God for what is God. Until we make the trade we will always be on the short end of things. We can trade our fears, our needs, our sins, and all our troubles for the peace and pleasure of the Lord’s presence.
Until we can see that we are in trouble without God, we will never know what it is like to be in Him. We also will not know what it is like to have Him in us. Now, when I have the, “I am in trouble feeling”, it is a bad, good feeling because it always takes me deeper in Him. It is a desperate need for Him and He always, always, supplies the very thing I need.
Make the trade! Go all the way. I know that I am trouble if I do not keep seeking and closely following Jesus. I do not like troubles! I love to get rid of them. If we take them to God, we can simply leave them with Him, if we will make the trade. When Jehoshaphat took His troubles to God and God assured him that it was taken care of, he sent the worship team out to celebrate the promise of God. There is nothing too big or too small for God to handle! Celebrate your way in and your way out!