“Who me…Accountable?!”
When I think of a princess my mind goes to the blessing of a precious new LIFE coming in the form of a tiny little girl.
“Life is a stewardship, not an ownership; a trust, not a gift!
With a gift you can do as you please;
BUT with a trust you must give an account!”
“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight! Everything is uncovered and laid bare before HIS eyes and to HIM we must give an account.” Hebrews 4: 13 Personally, this verse has always been a “call to action”. It has been a strong motivating force in my life. Those of you who know me, know that I am the “little much afraid” in the book, Hind’s Feet In High Places. I am the person who forces herself to walk through the door of fear to find God’s GRACE and freedom on the other side!
The fact that God is holding me accountable has driven me to take the stewardship of my life: as a missionary, a pastor’s wife, a mother and a grandmother very seriously. This God of love is going to hold me accountable one day! And there will be no excuses! (“…but you don’t understand, God, there were circumstances beyond my control…etc.)
“…will he not repay each person according to what he has done?” Pro. 24: 12b
Scripture tells us that babies are a gift to us that come with stewardship. They are entrusted to us for a short time and our responsibilities for that tiny life are enormous. Our failure to take that trust and do it God’s way (not our own way, which is our natural inclination) will, of course, result in total failure…
I hate failure! (Apart from HIM I am a failure!)
We are commissioned by God to guard our every word, thought, action and habit.
“Why?” you ask. “Why can’t we just “be ourselves”
and say and do what we want? WE ARE MATURE WOMEN!”
Maybe, because we are bent on evil apart from HIM! We are not full of grace. HE is!
We are to:
Watch our thoughts; they become words.
Watch our words; they become actions.
Watch our actions; they become habits.
Watch our habits; they become character.
Watch our character; for it becomes our DESTINY!
Your little princess is watching, listening and learning…she was listening before she was born…she is reading your spirit and her destiny is being formed. We cannot allow the enemy any entrance into her life. She deserves the opportunity to become all that HE has predestined her to be for His glory and His purpose. Eph.1: 11, 12; Rom. 8: 29
Often, I look into the face of the most precious mama that ever lived and I see her responsibility for me wasn’t just those first years until I went away to college…she still sets the bar for me at 98! I still watch her words, actions, habits and listen and learn. Christina and Kim, my two daughters, are still holding my feet to the fire and looking for an opportunity to use me as an excuse for their wrong choices! And my seven grandchildren are watching their grandma to see if her God is real!
BUT most importantly, God has HIS eyes on me and is listening and HE IS HOLDING ME ACCOUNTABLE FOR EVERY ATTITUDE, THOUGHT, WORD, ACTION, and HABIT!
GRACE IS NOT:
Ø God’s passive indulgence - letting us do what we want! (Our present cultural philosophy – everyone is entitled and we are the exception to every rule!)
Ø God’s removal of consequence when HIS laws are broken! (We reap what we Sow! No escape! If we disobey…we pay!) Col. 3:25
Ø Freedom to reject God’s commands! (God’s laws are NOT a “Smorgasbord”…I like this command; it works for me; I’ll keep it! That one does not work for me; throw it out!)
GRACE IS:
The desire and power to do what God wants! It is Active!
LIFE is a trust that we will give an account to God one day
and GRACE is the key to its stewardship…
“Therefore, brethren, BE STRONG IN GRACE
(Be strong in the desire and power to do God’s will)
that is in Christ Jesus.” 2 Tim. 2: 1
~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America. Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California. My passion is discipling and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights.
