The first one here dates back to 1988, during my junior year in high school, when I composed what was my first message for a contest the state Baptist Convention was having. I never got the chance to actually enter the contest, but still composed the message regardless. Being I was a new Christian and was newly called, you will see I am quoting some liberal theologians, such as Rienhold Niebuhr, because I didn't know any better. Also, my 11th-grade English teacher, Mrs. Dawne Milne, graciously helped me edit the script for errors then. So, without further elaboration, here is that message from 23 years back.
What Is a Commitment?
What is a commitment? The Webster's Collegiate Dictionary lists it as a "gift in trust." This would have to say then that our commitment to God is as a gift of our souls in trust to Him. In using noted Protestant philosopher Reinhold Niebuhr's analysis of this, we see that only a vital Christian faith, renewed in prophetic origin, is capable of dealing with the moral and social problems of our age. However, with the temptations that befall our weak souls, how would we do this? Well, here is how.
You see, when you make a Christian commitment, you are surrendering yourself to Christ. However, it goes a little further than this. SInce you have now committed you life to Christ, you have a responsibility of committing yourself to furthering the kingdom of God. In doing so, you must do as Matthew 28:19 tells us:
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Most of us, however, take these commitments for granted. We keep them in word, but do we practice them? Or is it that we don't have the love we should feel in carrying out the commitment? It is sort of like playing the clarinet or saxophone. As you may know, both of these instruments are played by using a little sliver of wood called a reed, and without it, you will not get a sound. If the reed wears down, the sound will not come out right. With this in mind, what solution is inevitable? Why, to get a new reed of course!
The point here is this: if you replace the reed to renew the sound, you must renew the commitment God gave you in order to do the work Christ commissioned you to do. A musician in a symphony orchestra, for example, has to keep his reed in good shape in order to play as the conductor expects him to. If he cannot play with a worn reed, he is not going to do the orchestra any good because he is not producing anything. Like the musician replaces his reed, so also must we renew the commitment. We are not being productive in God's kingdom if we refuse to do so.
I now urge you to renew your commitment to the Lord today. If you prove your commitment by living it, you will be inspired by it and will be an inspiration to others. One must be living proof of his or her commitment to our Lord and Savior.
