Word of the Week - Commitment
"The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully Committed to Him” 1 Chronicles 16:9
We will never get the best God has for our lives without being fully Committed. I think we would all agree that the first step in beginning anything of value is making a decision and a Commitment. Whether it be a new exercise routine, job, relationship, business process or spiritual discipline, any new pursuit towards something meaningful begins with a decision to do something then a Commitment. In todays digital age of instant gratification and having more flexibility/options available coupled with an emphasis “feeling” good and pursuing happiness, there seems to be a resistance toward Commitment. It is almost as if Commitment is a negative word. The truth is that the best things in life come out of making Commitments and being fully Committed. One of the best examples is the Marriage relationship. This is a legal covenant relationship before God, which is the highest form of Commitment. Anyone who has been married for any amount of time will tell you that marriage is one of the most challenging and fulfilling relationships ever. Amy and I have been married for 33 years and we will both attest to this reality. I have never heard anyone say they regret staying married. I have heard numerous people who have been through divorce say that it was a terrible experience and if they had to do it over again they would have tried to work it out. I am not condemning divorce, I am simply making the case for being and staying Committed through the good times and the bad, and I can assure you that you will experience both. There are certain situations that make it nearly impossible to stay married because ultimately you cannot control your spouses decisions or behaviors but you can remain Committed nonetheless.
God is fully Committed to us, “God shows His love (Commitment) to us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us” Romans 5:8 This verse says it all in that God loves us so much that He came to earth as a man and died for us while we still rejected Him. This is the utmost form of love and Commitment that God gave His life for us before we accepted Him. If we grasp this reality and its implications, we are compelled to respond by receiving this truth and loving God by fully Committing/devoting our lives to Him and making Him a priority. How we live our lives really demonstrates what we are Committed to. Does your life and how you live express Commitment to God?
God wants us to be fully Committed to Him so He can bless us, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this; He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.” Psalm 37:4 It is so amazing to me that God desires to bless us and give us the desires of our heart. I have personally discovered that we receive this blessing through our daily Commitment to surrender our lives and hearts to Jesus. Since God is the source of all good things, the best things of God come through our relationship with Him. The foundation of relationship is trust and Commitment. The response to trust is Commitment. We must trust and Commit to get all the good things God has for us. Some of the best things in life come through delayed gratification and God’s ways typically involve perseverance and “waiting upon the Lord”. Commitment over time is truly the test of our hearts and demonstrate the degree of our love.
Being fully Committed is the only way we realize our full potential, “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and do not lean upon your own understanding. Acknowledge Him in all things and He will direct your path and keep them straight” Proverbs 3:5-6 According to this passage we only get the best things of God if we are fully Committed to Him. As a child of God He has an awesome plan and assignment for each of us individually (Ephesians 2:10), which is our full potential in Christ. We can only know and realize this potential if we are Committed to Him and making Him the highest priority “first fruits” in our lives. We show our Commitment by how we live and pursue God. Putting God first in our thoughts, conversations, actions, daily/weekly routines, finances is how we demonstrate our Commitment to Him. This also demonstrates to others our love for God and we become a light for Christ in a dark and broken world. “In this same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven”. Matthew 5:16
God is seeking out those who are fully Committed to Him to “strengthen them”. I pray we will be fully Committed to the Lord today and each day and be strengthened; and experience the fruit that comes from walking in a fully Committed and submitted walk with Jesus. “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act” Psalm 37:5
Have a great week…..
Duane