Lord of All, Lord of ME

I've been walking around the house, driving in my van, singing my new song. Every time I get to the part - Lord of Me, I get that knot in my throat and the tears start to well up.

What does this mean - Lord of Me?

I use prayer beads in my prayer time. I've got a brain that acts like a monkey on a pole - always bouncing around getting distracted. Spinning each bead in my fingers helps me to focus on God. Each bead represents someone or something in my life so I remember to pray about each person or persons as well as the little desires of my heart just by following the beads. Oh, and if you want prayer beads, I'm in the business of making them, so let me know!

One bead is a Celtic Cross. For those of you who don't know, my maiden name was Murphy, so I'm just a wee bit Irish. When I get to this particular bead, I thank God for my ancestry.

"You thank God for what?"

Let me explain. Each of us has two parents, four grandparents, eight great-grandparents, sixteen great-great grandparents, thirty-two great-great-great grandparents and so on and so forth. If you've ever had the pleasure of researching your family tree, it can get quite overwhelming! In fact, I "collected ancestors" for years until I realized how much time it was consuming and although the information was interesting to my family and I, it wasn't as if I could use this hobby to serve God. But one thing became very clear - God used hundreds of people, thousands maybe, to "funnel" down to the creation of You.

Yes, You.

He took those tired, poor huddled masses, and kept them moving forward, striving for survival. Maybe your ancestors didn't know God. But guess what? HE knew You. He knew that He could USE You.

Another way of looking at it is to use those painful memories of Junior High. How many of you were the last person to be picked for the volleyball, basketball, or even flag football teams? I was. Junior High was so painful for me, I don't know how I got through the Eighth Grade. See, I had a group of girls in my class who made a pact that if they were chosen as Team Captains every day in gym class that no matter what happened, they were to pick me last. This particular group of girls thought it was real funny to get me down. But God is good. All the time. GOD picked me for HIS team and He picked you, too.

Matthew 7:17-20
"Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus by their fruit you will recognize them."

Got fruit?

In my earlier post, "He's Still Working On Me," I intimated how God is working on me each and every day. I feel it. I'm living it. He's answering prayers. He's knocking down bad habits. He's meeting me at the Cross and saying, "I want you, Danielle, to preach my gospel. I want you, Danielle, to spread my Word. I want you, Danielle, to sing My praise." He is PRUNING me so that I may BEAR FRUIT so that others will RECOGNIZE.

God created YOU! It took a lot of work, but He did it. It took generations upon generations, but He did it. He created you to have a purpose in life. He created you to make points for His team. He created you to bear fruit for all to see.

I don't work right now, but I got a job! God is guiding me strong faithfully to use the gifts that He has given to do good works so that the glory may be reflected back on HIM! In the same way that He gives us Faith to reflect back on Him, He wants our Ministries to reflect BACK ON HIM!!!

When I sing "Lord of All, Lord of Me," I am humbled. He chose me. Yucky me - with my bad habits and human weakness. But He "guides me strong, so faithfully" in the next line of the song. And you know what? He does. He really does.

Grasp the significance of what it means to have the Lord be Lord of You. Ponder the magnitude of grace that He has bestowed upon you. Thank God and Praise Him every day for the ways in which He remains faithful and prunes you daily - even if it hurts a little. And begin to bear the fruit for which you were intended.