Invest 1st in Yourself!

by Yvette van Niekerk

Have you heard Warren Buffet's quote, "The best investment you will ever make is in yourself?"

Psalm 51: 7 - 17 MSG

"Soak me in your laundry, and I'll come out clean, scrub me, and I'll have a snow-white life. Tune me into foot-tapping songs, set these once-broken bones to dancing. Don't look too close for blemishes give me a clean bill of health. God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life. Don't throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in me. Bring me back from grey exile, put a fresh wind in my sails! Give me a job teaching rebels your ways so the lost can find their way home. Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God, and I'll sing anthems to your life-giving ways.  Unbutton my lips, dear God; I'll let loose with your praise."

I was thinking of how counterintuitive and selfish this statement is, but then I realised that the Lord Jesus also first spent time investing in himself before in us. 

Listen to what the Lord Jesus says in Matthew 11 verse 28 to 30 MSG "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me, and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me, and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

The Lord Jesus calls this the "unforced rhythms of grace." "Come to me." 

My priority and main purpose these days is to spend time with the Lord. Looking at what the Lord Jesus has done in one day:  Jesus was always investing in others. He was constantly pouring out. Jesus went from preaching in the synagogue to casting out a demon, healing a sick friend, and at sundown, ministering to the entire city gathered at His door, read Mark 1: 21 - 34. What I realised that He always spent time in the presence of the Father before He poured out to the people. Time praying, listening, and refuelling. Mark 1: 35 "very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolated place and there he prayed."

The Lord Jesus also invited His disciples into His unforced rhythm of grace. We read in Mark 6 verse 31 - 32 ESV "And he said to them, 'Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest awhile.' For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat."

So I am trying to equip myself so that I can give to others. How can I do this, I need to rest spiritually, physically, and mentally.  If my vessel is empty how can I pour anything out?

I want to check with you, are you investing in yourself daily and are you spending time with the Lord? Investing in your soul is necessary.

Prayer

Father God, today I commit myself into Your hands, O Lord, I hear You singing over me. I am so grateful to spend time in Your presence. I love and worship You, fill me with Your Holy Spirit and cleanse me so that I am acceptable to You Lord. I worship and praise You, You are my provider, my Salvation and my King. Please, Lord, I pray for my family, calling out their names before Your throne, salvation to each person that doesn't have a personal relationship with You. In Jesus Christ's Name, Amen.