A White Funeral

When Jackson was baptized a few years ago, one word from the whole day stuck out in my mind. Our youth minister waded next to my little brother in the baptistry and in front of the congregation had typo of the mouth. He raised his hand, and said, "Jackson, as my brother in Christ, I now bury you...wait...bury you? Haha my bad...I now BAPTIZE you in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit."

Bury.

When I think of a burial, words like death, mourning, and dirt come to mind, not a pretty "Jesus Picture..."

But Oswald Chambers says,

No one experiences complete sanctification without going through a "white funeral"-the burial of the old life. If there has never been this crucial moment of change through death, sanctification will never be more than an elusive dream. There must be a "white funeral," a death with only one resurrection-a resurrection into the life of Jesus Christ. Nothing can defeat a life like this. It has oneness with God for only one purpose— to be a witness for Him.

Now I firmly believe that God wants so much more from us than a fifteen minute devotional in the morning before work. We can't possible know who God is by just spending a few minutes with Him everyday. It's an all day, hand in hand walk He desires. Nonetheless, I've been reading My Utmost for His Highest, and have noticed newly inspired thoughts and attitudes towards who God is and who I am in Him. This fifteen minutes spurs me on to constantly think and pursue my best to the Most High.

Chambers asks in this particular sermon if we've been to our own "white funeral." After much thought, I must mumble with my head down low, "No." There have been many moments of surrendering something over to God; a worry or concern, an unhealthy relationship, a materialistic distraction here and there, but not a complete and absolute death to Jessie.

"You must agree with God to stop being the intensely striving kind of Christian you have been."

Yep, that's me; constantly striving to please God, knowing full well His grace enough. I long to bring glory to His kingdom but fail so miserably because the earthly obsessions of the still alive and kicking Jessie get in the way. If I truly die to myself to be resurrected with Christ, the struggle to be sanctified by own doing will end. So my prayer is this, that I may soon come to the last of my days and sanctification be more than an elusive dream.