Committed
Having a sweetheart is one of the wishes that most young men, including me, have had in their hearts. I wanted to have a sweetheart during my college years because my friends told me that having a sweetheart made them eager and zealous to study. So, I decided to find one since I wanted to have the same passion they had for studying. I was lucky; I found a lovely young girl in my first-year college, not someone who studied in the same college, but who lived in a small town far from my campus. In the college, we had a variety of regulations. One of these was designated free time to leave the campus, known as Boys’ Day. It was every other Friday. To keep and maintain the relationship with my girlfriend, I made a COMMITMENT to visit her every other week.
After visiting her one Friday night, I found myself walking by myself in the dark of the night, in the rain. In a wet shirt and pants, I was walking down the quiet road heading for my campus located far away at the foot of the mountain. The public transportation stopped running at 7 pm; hence I had to walk. I was tired and cold, I sacrificed myself, but I stood strong, happy to do what I was doing because I COMMITTED myself to be with her despite the challenges I faced. On top of it, I was so COMMITTED to my COMMITMENT because I love her. I always recalled this experience whenever I heard a song entitled “You are the Reason” composed by Calum Scott: “I’d climb every mountain, and swim every ocean, just to be with you . . . that you are the reason.” This is the profound expression of love, a human love, willing to do anything even that seems impossible, but they would do it no matter what, because of love.
John 3:16 recorded a love greater than any that ever existed in the universe, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (NIV) We are all sinners under the condemnations and penalties of our sins. But because of God’s mercy, grace, and love, He chose to offer us forgiveness and salvation through Jesus Christ. Dying on the cross was not an easy thing to go through. Listen to Jesus’ bitter cry, “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me.” Matthew 26:39. He was in great sorrow; He struggled in Gethsemane. While praying to His Father, the bloody sweat dripped down His face. But He moved on with the plan of salvation because He loved the world and was COMMITTED to save the world.
What recompense can we return for His sacrifice? The Apostle Paul said, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, given God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” Romans 12:1 (NIV) Paul gave us this reminder that we need to make a COMMITMENT to honoring God, pleasing God, obeying God, and serving God, doing the right thing in the right way at the right time.
Two beautiful quotations from the Spirit of Prophecy, “As individuals and as members of the church of God, we need to realize the special work which has been COMMITTED to us. . . .”-- Special Testimonies for Ministers and Workers, Number 6, p. 41. “The church is the channel through which the Lord works to save those who are perishing in sin. His mercy, goodness, and power are to be made known by the members of the church. What a wonderful work God has COMMITTED to us! All heaven is waiting for channels through which to communicate the grace of heaven.”-- Letters and Manuscripts, volume 17, Manuscript 4, 1902, par. 28.
When we think of the mercy God has shown to us, it should make us eternally grateful to Him for all He has done for us. That is why we are called to COMMIT our lives to serve Him and be COMMITTED to His mission throughout our lives
Hiskia Missah
Editor
