WHOLEHEARTEDNESS
Psalms 86:11-13 Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of the grave.
Today I would like to talk about wholeheartedness, or an undivided heart towards Jesus. An undivided loyalty in today's culture is hard to find at times. We all have heard the term politically correct so many times we assume that this is the norm, and what is expected out of life if we are to have a good life. To have a commitment or belief that is like the waves of the sea is not a good thing.
John the Baptist was certainly wholeheartedly committed to his call of repentance. It didn’t matter if he was talking to a Pharisee, Sadducee, teacher of the law, a beggar or the king and queen of Israel his message was the same, “Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand!” His boldness and unwavering stance got his head cut off. But for John even at the threat of death, there could be no compromise. Right was right and wrong was wrong. It was God’s way or no way.
Jesus was wholehearted in his desire to do his Heavenly Father’s will. At any time he could have just left us in our sinful condition, and went back to be with his Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit in heaven. He would have still been just in sending us to hell for all eternity. Our sinfulness was not his fault. It was ours alone. We all have a free will and we could have chosen what was right, but as scripture reminds us we have all sinned and gone astray. Jesus had one passion and it was to do his Father’s will. It took him to the cross, and kept him hanging there until his passion was complete.
It is important for us to be wholehearted for Jesus as well. While we may be living in a world of sin, we don’t have to lower ourselves to it. The world yells to us that all we need to do is compromise just a little and we will be accepted. But it is the little crack in the huge granite boulder that splits it in half when water gets in it and then freezes. A little lie here or stretching the truth there, what does it matter the world whispers. No one will know anyway.
Well, Jesus knows and that should be enough! We live for him, because he died for us. He is our passion for life and into eternity. What better thing could we do than to be a blessing to the one who loves us the most? Do you live a wholehearted life for Jesus? If not I encourage you to do so. With a divided heart you will never have peace or fulfillment. In Jesus you will find that you will a fulfillment that is worth living and dying for.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for loving us so much. You are a wonderful God and Savior. Please help us to be wholehearted for you as you are with your Heavenly Father. We ask this in your holy name.
