A friend of mine asked me the question: What does it mean to be ALL IN? In other words, how do we know that we are 100% into God, that we are following Jesus daily, and that we are living 100% all in for God? As I pondered for weeks, I was finally able to describe in words what I believe to be “all in” means and then what it means to me.
Being ALL IN is a matter of the heart. It is complete surrender to God in every area of your life. When you are all in, from the heart, God’s love will overflow and be poured out into your life. When you are all in, words are not necessary, people will know. The first sign is the love of God being manifested to others through you. It is you loving on people just because they are children of God. It’s first pursuing the discovery of your calling and then pursuing the calling itself throughout your life.
So, what does it mean to ME to be ALL IN? Because I believe it’s a matter of the heart, I believe I am all in and God knows it because He knows my heart. I have made a commitment to live for God the rest of my life. I have chosen to give my life to Jesus every day. I may not feel like I’m all in some days because my flesh takes over and I don’t behave like a person who’s all in. However, just because that day I don’t feel like I’m all in or I may even feel I’m “out,” God knows my heart and sees my struggle to live for Him despite my flesh that leads me to sin. It’s a daily walk. I am committed to pursue my calling and to use all my gifts for God during my life here on earth. I live with the awareness that today may be my last day and that’s why I have the sense of urgency to fulfill my calling.
Today is Saturday, April 19th, 2014. Yesterday was Good Friday. The day Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Today is a dark day because it represents when Jesus went to hell for us so we didn’t have to. But tomorrow is a new day. We celebrate His resurrection and that He defeated death. It’s the promise that we all hope to receive when we die and go to heaven to be with Him for eternity. Jesus was ALL IN! He came to earth with one mission only—to save us. In order to fulfill His mission, He knew that we would have to endure the death of the cross. But He also knew that after three days He would rise again and His mission would have been fulfilled. We are His reward.
Years ago I read the book The Case for Christ, A Journalist’s Personal Investigation of the Evidence of Jesus, by Lee Strobel. If you haven’t read that book, read it! If you are still skeptical about the reality of Jesus’ death and resurrection or have any doubts or medical questions, read this book! On pages 196-204, Strobel interviewed a doctor who explains step by step the process of the crucifixion and how Jesus died on the cross—all explained in medical terms. For example, did you know that the pain Jesus experienced when they pierced his wrists and feet with the nails had no word so they had to create a new one—excruciating? It literally means “out of the cross.” Did you know that Jesus, in fact, sweat blood the night before of the crucifixion? The medical term is called hematidrosis, which happens when a person is in “extreme psychological stress.” Did you know that Jesus actually died of cardiac arrest? I didn’t. At the end of the interview, Strobel asked the doctor one final question: Why did Jesus go through this? The doctor replied with one word, “love.”
Everything that the Bible says to describe Jesus’ death is true and has a medical term as well as a scientific explanation. I read these pages almost every year to remind myself of what Jesus had to go through for me. Each time I read it I weep in gratitude knowing that Jesus did it for me. And He did it for you too!
So, to end on a happy note, let’s celebrate together that Jesus is indeed alive and He loves us with a love that goes beyond our comprehension. A love that endured the cross.