I Pledge My Head To Heaven

As Jesus was starting on his way again, a man ran up, knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to receive eternal life?”… Mark 10:17 GNB

Jesus looked straight at him with love and said, “You need only one thing. Go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; then come and follow me.” When the man heard this, gloom spread over his face, and he went away sad, because he was very rich. Mark 10:21-22 GNB

What is it that Jesus would ask of you that would be too much for you to give up?

Keith Green, one of my favorite Christian music artists, wrestled with this same challenge… Keith’s heart was poured out in his song writing and one of my favorites (which seems weird to say since it cuts right to the heart) is “I Pledge My Head To Heaven”. These lyrics are rich with the reality of what it means to walk with Jesus as Lord not just as a man.

I Pledge My Head To Heaven
Keith Green



Well, I pledge my head to heaven for the gospel,
And I ask no man on earth to fill my needs.
Like the sparrow up above, I am enveloped in his love,
And I trust him like those little ones, he feeds.

Well I pledge my wife to heaven, for the gospel,
Though our love each passing day just seems to grow.
As I told her when we wed, I'd surely rather be found dead,
Than to love her more than the one who saved my soul.

I'm your child, and I want to be in your family forever.
I'm your child, and I'm going to follow you,
No matter whatever the cost, I'm gonna count all things lost.

Well I pledge my son to heaven for the gospel.
Though he's kicked and beaten, ridiculed and scorn.
I will teach him to rejoice, and life a thankful praising voice,
And to be like him who bore the nails and crown of thorns.

I'm your child, and I want to be in your family forever.
I'm your child, and I'm going to follow you,
No matter whatever the cost, I'm gonna count all things lost.
Oh no matter whatever the cost, I'm gonna count all things lost.
Well I've had the chance to gain the world, and to live just like a king,
But without your love, it doesn't mean a thing.

Oh no matter whatever the cost, I'm gonna count all things lost,
Oh no matter whatever the cost, I'm gonna count all things lost.
Well I pledge my son, I pledge my wife, I pledge my head to heaven,
I pledge my son, I pledge my wife, I pledge my head to heaven, for the gospel.

I know that we are not saved by works; I hope that is obvious by the content of my previous blog posts. But I am also challenged with what it means to call Him Lord. Biblical Lordship is living my life IN Him and FOR Him, nothing more and nothing less…

So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 2Corinthians 5:9 ESV

Once when large crowds of people were going along with Jesus, he turned and said to them, “Those who come to me cannot be my disciples unless they love me more than they love father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and themselves as well. Those who do not carry their own cross and come after me cannot be my disciples…” Luke 14:25-27 GNB

“In the same way," concluded Jesus, “none of you can be my disciple unless you give up everything you have…” Luke 14:33 GNB

None of us really knows what we will do in any given situation but I am fairly (fairly being the key word) confident that I can stand before my God and say with Keith and countless others - that I pledge my head to Heaven and to all that entails… My family and I have been through a lot and have had to give up things and dreams for the Kings agenda to be fulfilled in and out of our lives, but there is much more that could be asked – we live a “comfortable” life as Western Christians and I like it! This though is where I struggle, if He asked me to go and sell everything I have and then to give all the proceeds away…would I?

 

I can’t imagine what it would be like to have everything stripped away, like Job – to go through this journey with the intensity of Paul amid all his sacrifice i.e. wifeless, beaten close to death numerous times, shipwrecked even once let alone numerous times, jailed for the Gospel, hungry etc.

 

I have a friend who felt that he was called to minister to the homeless of his community – sounds simple enough, heck many do this – only he felt that he needed to buy a home as close as possible to the park where they slept and then to open it up as a safe place, no questions asked. He often would not even be able to stay in his own home since it was full to capacity. I know that he has been given money to take care of his basic needs but instead he has used the money to help others within the community he has created.

 

The list of examples is certainly longer than this and your own life experience may blow his out of the water, my point is simply that I know I have more to give and I want to be able to do so if He asks me for more.

Fear nothing but God,
Hate nothing but evil,
Desire nothing but the Kingdom…

Grace to you all,

Wag