Originally posted on Facebook on Monday, January 9, 2023.

If I am betrothed to a Husband, dedicating myself to Him, summarily rejecting the pursuit of all others and turning my back on the opportunity for any other life, if all that I am and all that I have has been committed to His trust and He never does anything on my behalf nor ever comes to receive and establish me, if our wedding is a lie, I am the most pitiable of all men.

Believing Christ and following Him comes with the tremendous risk of losing everything because it demands everything –a cost which I ponder often and one that those who claim to be Christian should count well (Luke 14:28-33).

If I am truly Christian, I have committed my life to Him. And if I am wrong, if I have believed a lie, I SHOULD BE the most pitiable of all men.

But, how am I pitiable if I continue to live as a bachelor, as someone free and available for courtship or even wantonly promiscuous –seeking selfish pleasure from any and everything that does not advance His interests as my Lord and that are unfitting for someone betrothed? How am I pitiable, if in the event that He never comes, I have not lost anything and my life looks like everyone else's?

Before we call ourselves Christians, we should ask, "Am I really engaged? Am I really committed to Christ? Do I believe to the point that I'm doing and giving up so much that I would be completely pitiable if what I believe turns out to be a lie?"

Lord Jesus, I believe You. Knowing you has transformed me. I believe you are the only begotten Son of God sent to save the world from sin that's killing us and to give life both now and in eternity to those who receive You. I accept Your proposal to be my Lord and Savior.

I believe the best thing to do with my life is to give it to You. Saving lives, giving Life, You on the throne as King of a kingdom that never ends –there is nothing more worthy to be a part of than what You're doing.

Help me to go all the way. Help me to not keep back parts of my life so I can maintain some independence, so in case I want to bail or in case the engagement fails. Help me to go all the way, to the extent that if You fail, I fail. Though, I don't believe that You will fail.

I believe in You and am trusting Your promises (John 14).

I am afraid, yet I am confident that You will not leave me ashamed. Help me to fully commit, forsaking all else, giving my possessions, position and power, wholly given to You, which is the only way marriage can occur. My earnest hope and desire is to be made One with You.

I trust You to prune me of everything that prevents our union and to keep me until that great day.

Help me to go all the way.

Amen.

"And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable."

1 Corinthians 15:17-19