Lose the Fat

Happy New Year friends!!!  I have missed you!  Sorry I didn't post anything last week.  I was in Illinois visiting family and friends. We had a great time with everyone.  I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year! 

I did work on one post while I was up there that I will be publishing as a guest blogger on another site in a couple of weeks.  The site I will be guest posting on is www.askwisecounsel.blogspot.com  .  It is the blog of author John Beehner.  I will post more information about it as the time comes. 

We got home late Saturday night. New Year's Day was a whirl-wind of a day unpacking, catching up on work, and trying to get settled in again.  However, I had to take a moment to say hello to you. 

In thinking about the new year and praying about what goals I should have for this year, a few words come to mind.  Simplifying.  Health.  Love walk. Commitments. Again, simplifying.

Simplifying can also be referred to as slimming down.  Many people have a different kind of slimming down as a New Year's goal, with emphasis on losing weight and fat.  It is probably the most common of New Year's Resolutions.  Count me in!  Yes, physical slimming down is definitely one of my goals  (I ate way too much junk in the last few weeks!)

However, the main kind of slimming down I need to do is to lose the fat from my life. In 2011, I overextended myself.   I mean slim back and stream line.  Cut out weight that has been holding me down, hindering intimacy with my Father, keeping me altogether too busy and overloaded. 

Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, 
And to heed than the fat of rams.  1Sam 15:22

The word "heed" above is the Hebrew word, quashab.  It means to listen, to attend, to pay attention, to give attention.  

God is saying here to lose the fat and listen to Him.  


I have found it is hard to give the Lord much attention or hear His voice when I am overly busy, even if my busyness is in ministry for Him.  So, I am asking God some questions. 

Are all the sacrifices I am giving Him out of obedience?  Lord, is there anything you want me to lay down?  I only want to be obedient to you. Am I doing anything for appearance sake, to be seen by men and please men rather than to please the Lord?

The apostle Paul wrote about his fleshly service another way....He said he counted it all as rubbish (Phil 3: 5-8).  He was referring to all the "religious" activities he did and his own fleshly efforts to gain approval from the Lord. 

As Joyce Meyer said, "God cares more about your 'who' than your 'do'".  He is much more interested in how we are treating others and our intimacy with Him than our works and what we are "doing" for Him. 

I honestly do not believe anything I was doing for Him was merely for appearance sake.  I really felt led to do what I was doing.  I prayed over every commitment.  Sometimes we just get overextended.  Sometimes we mishear.  Sometimes the enemy comes in and adds things to get us overburdened.  Whatever the cause, I know and God knows it is time to lose some of the weight. 

Will you also seek the Lord with me to determine if there is any extra "weight" or fat rams keeping you from "heeding" the voice of the Lord.  Let's lose the fat and gain Christ...and also hopefully lose those 10 pounds as well.  : )