Cover It All Lord

The other morning it dawned on me that my wife and my oldest sister have the same habit when it comes to condiments on bread and toast. They both like every exposed surface of the bread or toast covered with whatever it is that’s going on there. Whether it’s butter, jelly, mustard, Miracle Whip, or whatever, they prefer that every inch be covered and somehow they know when it is not.

I’m not certain where that particular penchant was cultivated, but it seems a bit odd to me. I have no particular insistence on such total coverage. Just give me a dip and a slap and I’m pretty much good to go. Perhaps the only exception would be turkey sandwiches after Thanksgiving. I want my mayo thick and plentiful.

As I was reading my Bible that morning I thought about those two positions on condiment application and began to think about my life in Christ. I’m not sure how I made the leap, but I began to ponder the idea of Lordship.  Sometimes it seems I am perfectly content to have God in control of certain areas of my life and not allow him to cover every inch of the “bread.”  Somehow I’ve convinced myself that a slap and tickle will do when in reality God’s desire is to totally cover me with his love and lordship in my life.

I know both the Old Testament and Jesus’ understanding of the OT is that the greatest commandment we have is to Love the LORD our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind…. For a variety of reasons that “all” gets cut a bit short in my life. For me, selective areas of my heart, my soul, my strength, and my mind aren’t quite covered. I’ll surrender a little bit but find myself clinging tightly to areas I prefer to keep private.  It’s not that I think I know better than God, I don’t. It’s that I have chosen to keep those areas under wraps as if there could ever be something in my life that God doesn’t know about. It’s selfishness on my part pure and simple.

Just like my wife and sister know when the bread is not totally covered God knows exactly those areas of my life I’m attempting to keep private. He knows the un-surrendered shrines of my heart. Perhaps it’s time I let him cover it all.

Lord, I confess those areas of my life that I’ve attempted to keep secluded. Through the power of your spirit I can know the joy that comes from allowing you to cover it all.    In the name of your son, amen.