{"id":14572,"date":"2016-03-28T01:18:53","date_gmt":"2016-03-28T05:18:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inspireafire.com\/?p=14572"},"modified":"2016-03-28T12:06:20","modified_gmt":"2016-03-28T16:06:20","slug":"i-walk-the-line-but-im-not-johnny-cash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inspireafire.com\/i-walk-the-line-but-im-not-johnny-cash\/","title":{"rendered":"I walk the line\u2014but I\u2019m not Johnny Cash"},"content":{"rendered":"

Do you know the back story behind the musical hit, I Walk the Line, <\/i>by Johnny Cash? As a newlywed, Cash reported he wrote the lyrics as a promise of devotion to his new bride. (Wikipedia<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

My husband’s a pastor and as an ordained minister he performs marriage ceremonies. He officiated our daughter\u2019s wedding almost six years ago. He walked her down the isle, then made his way to the stage to start the officiating. During the vows, he discussed our son-in-law\u2019s favorite movie, I walk the Line. <\/i>After a slight pause, he offered these words, \u201cThat\u2019s what I expect you to do\u2014walk the line.\u201d Not suggested words, but words of committed devotion.<\/p>\n

Walk the Line by Devotion<\/strong><\/h4>\n

As a believer, I pledge devotion of myself to the God of the universe. I desire to walk in\"IMG_7716\" His ways. Obey Him. Become like Him. He calls me His betrothed, That\u2019s what I expect you to do\u2014walk the line. <\/i>But to walk the line, I must die to myself in unadulterated surrender. It\u2019s only in this place of death, I can fully give myself to the Lord. A total giving.<\/p>\n

I like how C. S. Lewis describes it, \u201cGive up your self, and you will find your real self. Lose your life and you will save it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Walk the Line by Example<\/strong><\/h4>\n

When I was pregnant with my second child, my daughter was three. We made the decision not to find out the baby\u2019s gender before the birth. Therefore, we had to prepare a nursery in gender neutral colors and discuss boy and girl names. One evening after bedtime stories, my daughter informed me that she wanted the baby to be a boy, and she wanted him named, Sue or Susie.<\/p>\n

I immediately thought of Johnny Cash who also had a hit song called, A Boy Named Sue. <\/i>My dad often listened to his songs when I was a little girl, and took me to see him in concert once. By the way, we had a boy named Michael Caleb.<\/p>\n

Another boy in history carried a significant label\u2014a boy named Jesus. While His name didn\u2019t headline the music charts of His day, it headlines hearts of our day.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s our example of what it looks like to give up self. When we study the life and ministry of Christ, it\u2019s a portrait that depicts giving himself away, dying to His desires. His time, His attention, His affection, His teaching, His healing, His compassion, His kindness, and His love. He gave up self for others.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_6692He exemplified unmitigated adoration to His Father. He walked the line of the Father\u2019s plan. He wanted God\u2019s kingdom to be His kingdom. God\u2019s agenda became His agenda. He released His will for the Father\u2019s will to be done. He gave the ultimate sacrifice. Christ gave himself on the cross. Completely. Fully. Body, soul, and Spirit.<\/p>\n

To follow Him is to follow His example. To walk in the same manner in which He walked. (See 1 John 2:6.)<\/p>\n

We can walk the line committed to God\u2019s Kingdom and will on earth, giving ourselves away to others. Giving up self. A holy surrender, for the Lord stands on hallowed ground.<\/p>\n

I walk the line. But I\u2019m not Johnny Cash. I\u2019m a child of the King. I\u2019m His beloved and He is mine. It\u2019s a pledge of devotion. The highest devotion on the planet.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Do you know the back story behind the musical hit, I Walk the Line, by Johnny Cash? As a newlywed, Cash reported he wrote the lyrics as a promise of devotion to his new bride.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":58,"featured_media":14576,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[1551],"tags":[2346,2347,2252,1263,572,2345,2348,2074,1949],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\nI walk the line\u2014but I\u2019m not Johnny Cash - Inspire A Fire<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"As a believer, I pledge devotion of myself to the God of the universe. 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