Are You “All In”?

Occasionally I will write a blog post based on some weird and wacky US holiday. Like “National Bear Hug Day.” Or “National Failures Day.” Or “Weary Willie Day.”

Writing today from Welland, Ontario, I wondered if Canada has some unusual holidays. A bit to my surprise, I discovered a page of “133 of the weirdest national days in a Canadian year.”

Tomorrow, July 26th is “National All or Nothing Day.”

It is a day that “that encourages us to throw caution to the wind, take bold risks, and fully commit to our dreams and aspirations.”

Their web page further states, “This unconventional holiday challenges us to break free from our comfort zones and embrace the exhilarating possibilities that come with giving our all to what matters most.”

Another page described “All or Nothing Day” as “a day to make a decision. No waffling or procrastinating is allowed.”

This concept reminds me of Jesus’ statement in Matt. 6:24.

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

This challenge demands total commitment to Christ. Exclusive service. Complete loyalty. Absolute allegiance. It means to be all in. It’s “All or Nothing.”

In a blog post on Growing Christian Ministries, Dave Reid writes, “Total commitment means that Jesus is Lord in every area of our lives. He’s in charge on Saturday night as well as Sunday morning. He’s Lord of our bodies as well as our brains. He’s in control of all we own and cherish. He directs our careers and our hobbies.”

To paraphrase Hudson Taylor, “If Jesus is not Lord of all of your life, He’s not Lord at all in your life.”

The “All or Nothing” concept is at the core of “The first and Great Commandment” which Jesus pronounced to a first century questioner. “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matt. 22:37-40).

Being “All In” speaks of…

…Daily cross bearing (Lk. (9:23).
…Severing family and fleshly relationships in order to serve Christ (Matt. 10:34-39)
…Being transformed instead of conformed to this world (Rom. 12:1-12)
…Seeking first the Kingdom of God (Matt. 6:34).
…Becoming like Christ in character (Rom. 8:29).
…Working for the Lord, and not men (Col. 3:23-24).
…Keeping Christ’s commandments (Jn. 14:15).
…Honoring your marriage vows (Eph. 5:22-32).
…Belonging to the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:12-21).
…Fellowship in the Spiritual Family (1 Jn. 1:3-7).
…Practicing the “one another” commands (Eph. 4:2, 25, 32; 5:19, 21)

And much, much more.

That’s a thumbnail sketch of what “All or Nothing” means spiritually. It can’t be achieved by one special day a year. It’s a process. Day by day. Week by week. Month by month. And year by year. That’s what commitment is all about.

W. H. Murray was right when he wrote: “Until one is committed there is hesitancy. The chance to draw back. Always ineffectiveness. The moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issue from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents…which no man could have dreamt would have come his way.”