Several years ago, an exasperated co-worker complained to me, "you're making more work!" I later recognized that I was making a particular task more complicated than it needed to be, and adding an extra work load for the both of us.
When we fail to fully cooperate with our heavenly Father, we also make unnecessary work. Far too often, with great difficulty, we exhaust ourselves exerting our own energy, when His mighty strength could easily have done the job.
"For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His." (2 Chronicles 16:9)
Our Father is vigilant in His search for those who are wholeheartedly loyal to Him. It is these He earnestly desires to "strongly support". In other words, He is not only favorably disposed toward them; He is ready and willing to bring His full resources to assist them.
The promise easily overshadows the condition. His strong support is base on an important condition: "those whose heart is completely His." That's the real kicker, isn't it? It sounds similar to a promise made by Jesus: "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (Matthew 6:33) The challenge is in seeking the kingdom FIRST, and having a heart that is COMPLETELY His.
Honestly, aren't divided loyalties the challenge? A controversial statement by a well-known Christian psychologist often haunts me: "most Americans want the good American life with a little Jesus overlay". Sadly, this statement is truer than most of us want to admit. Give me the "good life", and then I'll be able to serve faithfully and effectively. Except, it never works that way.
I've seen more new Christians than I can count start out with a zealous commitment and boundless energy; determined to win the world to Christ and re-enact the Book of Acts. More often than not, however, things of the world eventually crowded out their zeal and determination. They became like the thorny soil (Jesus - parable of the sower and seed - Matthew 13): "And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful." (verse 22)
Truthfully, I'm not exactly sure what wholehearted commitment looks like. I'm thirty-eight years into the process of learning it, but I'm certain I have not arrived. But, I'm encouraged to pursue radical commitment, because therein lies the strong support of my Father (2 Chronicles 16:9). So, if you and I can grew just a bit more in that commitment today, we've stepped closer to the mighty strengthening that our Father reserves for those "whose heart is completely His." And I desperately want and need that.
As our Father looks "to and fro" today, may he find us, not trying harder, but yielding more.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2011
When we fail to fully cooperate with our heavenly Father, we also make unnecessary work. Far too often, with great difficulty, we exhaust ourselves exerting our own energy, when His mighty strength could easily have done the job.
"For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His." (2 Chronicles 16:9)
Our Father is vigilant in His search for those who are wholeheartedly loyal to Him. It is these He earnestly desires to "strongly support". In other words, He is not only favorably disposed toward them; He is ready and willing to bring His full resources to assist them.
The promise easily overshadows the condition. His strong support is base on an important condition: "those whose heart is completely His." That's the real kicker, isn't it? It sounds similar to a promise made by Jesus: "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (Matthew 6:33) The challenge is in seeking the kingdom FIRST, and having a heart that is COMPLETELY His.
Honestly, aren't divided loyalties the challenge? A controversial statement by a well-known Christian psychologist often haunts me: "most Americans want the good American life with a little Jesus overlay". Sadly, this statement is truer than most of us want to admit. Give me the "good life", and then I'll be able to serve faithfully and effectively. Except, it never works that way.
I've seen more new Christians than I can count start out with a zealous commitment and boundless energy; determined to win the world to Christ and re-enact the Book of Acts. More often than not, however, things of the world eventually crowded out their zeal and determination. They became like the thorny soil (Jesus - parable of the sower and seed - Matthew 13): "And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful." (verse 22)
Truthfully, I'm not exactly sure what wholehearted commitment looks like. I'm thirty-eight years into the process of learning it, but I'm certain I have not arrived. But, I'm encouraged to pursue radical commitment, because therein lies the strong support of my Father (2 Chronicles 16:9). So, if you and I can grew just a bit more in that commitment today, we've stepped closer to the mighty strengthening that our Father reserves for those "whose heart is completely His." And I desperately want and need that.
As our Father looks "to and fro" today, may he find us, not trying harder, but yielding more.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2011
posted by steve @ 9:24 AM
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