How Much Do I Have? - Jo Huddleston
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." Matthew 22:37, NIV
Nothing else in the house moved as I stumbled up the hall. I stood half asleep at my kitchen sink. Looking through half-closed blinds, I discovered what had interrupted my pre-dawn sleep. On the deck, several pesky blue jays perched atop my patio table, ready to welcome a new day. Aggravated at them for disturbing me, I pecked impatiently on a window pane. With much fluttering, the birds scattered to nearby trees—all but one.
The lone bird pranced around the table top, tilting his head this way and that, beady black eyes searching for his would-be attacker. I raised the miniblind and pecked fiercely on the glass again. There! He looked my way—he’d found me. He stared at me; I glared at him. Appearing to know my threatening noises couldn’t harm him, he didn’t budge. Then the concert began, his music as crisp and crystal clear as the day’s spring morning. Each warble imitated his previous one.
Each time he chirped, the little bird quivered from the black collar across his throat to the trembling tip of his brilliant blue tail feathers. Every inch of the bird moved to produce his melody. This little bird put all his body behind each note—he gave it all he had. I forgot the blue jay’s peskiness, enjoying instead, my private recital.
Watching from my quiet kitchen, I thought about the tremendous effort the little bird displayed. He certainly didn’t go about his singing in a halfhearted way. I wondered if Christians could measure up to the blue jay. Are we as committed in our efforts of praise and worship? Then I pondered, “How much have I given? Have much do I have?”
It makes no difference how much we have. Jesus demands our all when we accept Him as our Savior and Lord. All we have. We must give all we have, in loving and serving God. Whether in our jobs, raising our children, church work or leisure time, God demands from Christians a 100 percent effort. Like the little blue jay on my deck with only one song to sing, we must give it all we’ve got.
How much have you given? How much do you have?
Jo Huddleston is the author of four nonfiction books and the co-author of an E-book on writing for the Christian marketplace. Her more than 200 devotions, articles and stories have appeared in over fifty publications, including Guideposts and Decision.
Read Jo's devotions.
You may visit with Jo at http://www.johuddleston.com/.
Read Jo's devotions.
The lone bird pranced around the table top, tilting his head this way and that, beady black eyes searching for his would-be attacker. I raised the miniblind and pecked fiercely on the glass again. There! He looked my way—he’d found me. He stared at me; I glared at him. Appearing to know my threatening noises couldn’t harm him, he didn’t budge. Then the concert began, his music as crisp and crystal clear as the day’s spring morning. Each warble imitated his previous one.
Each time he chirped, the little bird quivered from the black collar across his throat to the trembling tip of his brilliant blue tail feathers. Every inch of the bird moved to produce his melody. This little bird put all his body behind each note—he gave it all he had. I forgot the blue jay’s peskiness, enjoying instead, my private recital.
Watching from my quiet kitchen, I thought about the tremendous effort the little bird displayed. He certainly didn’t go about his singing in a halfhearted way. I wondered if Christians could measure up to the blue jay. Are we as committed in our efforts of praise and worship? Then I pondered, “How much have I given? Have much do I have?”
It makes no difference how much we have. Jesus demands our all when we accept Him as our Savior and Lord. All we have. We must give all we have, in loving and serving God. Whether in our jobs, raising our children, church work or leisure time, God demands from Christians a 100 percent effort. Like the little blue jay on my deck with only one song to sing, we must give it all we’ve got.
How much have you given? How much do you have?
Jo Huddleston is the author of four nonfiction books and the co-author of an E-book on writing for the Christian marketplace. Her more than 200 devotions, articles and stories have appeared in over fifty publications, including Guideposts and Decision.Read Jo's devotions.
You may visit with Jo at http://www.johuddleston.com/.
Read Jo's devotions.
Labels: encouragement, johuddleston
