” Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.“
-The Prayer of St. Patrick
Last January, I chose a motto to summarize my aspirations for the year. The motto was this: “On his heels.” Inspired by an encouragement from my pastor to not lag behind God, or get ahead of him, I chose to rather pursue him steadfastly, right on his heels.
2020 was such a strange year. And it gave me many opportunities to rush ahead of God in impatience or straggle behind him in fear. I didn’t stay on God’s heels perfectly. But he is merciful, and he is forbearing, and he waited for me when I fell behind.
Just like last year, I wasn’t planning on choosing a word or motto for 2021. But just like last year, that all changed. I was at church. Again. Listening to a pastor. Again. And, lo and behold, once again, the words of my Father, spoken through the words of a beloved saint, hit my heart deeply and gave me focus.
His words were this:
“God shouldn’t be just a part of your life. Because when something is only a part of your life…you can always let it go.”
We are living in a time where it’s not cool to be a Christian. It’s not cool to talk about the Bible at work. It’s not cool to actually honor your parents and respect their guidelines and boundaries. It’s not cool to listen to Christian music. It’s not cool to read books about God. It’s not cool to wear a modest swimsuit and it’s really not cool to save yourself for marriage.
My heart breaks within me as friends I grew up with walk away from their faith, or hide it completely, caring more about being “culturally current” and “tolerant” than they do about being holy.
“God still is a part of my life.” they tell me.
But is he?
I wonder how God feels.
And yet I’m not here to judge. Because when I examine my own life, sometimes God just seems like a “part” too.
1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “So whether you eat or you drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
God shouldn’t be a single part of our lives. Rather, in every single part of our lives, He should be glorified and intimately involved.
Whether we eat or we drink, or we work, or we play. Whether we delete our twitter accounts or wear a mask or mail in our ballots or vote in person. When we run, when we sing, what we laugh at, what we say. Who we look up to, who we belittle, who we acknowledge, who we ignore.
God wants to be in it.
Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
I have been guilty of making God just a part of my life. I have been guilty of struggling to “find time” for God and his word, when I know in my heart of hearts, I can always make the time.
I can get up 30 minutes earlier. I can delete my instagram. I can listen to the audio bible while I drive to work instead of listen to my perfectly curated spotify playlist. I can pray when I brush my teeth. I can pray instead of complain.
The King of Kings and Lord of Lords is worthy of all I am and more. I could never repay the debt I owe him for sending his only son to die for me. He is the good shepherd, who laid his life down for his sheep. He is the everlasting Father and the Great I am.
And I want him involved in all I do.
I want him honored in all I do.
As Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”
So that is my prayer this year. That in all my ways, I’d acknowledge him. In my relationships, in my work, in what I watch, in what I read, in what I say, in what I do.
In all I do.
