Wholeheartedness

We can be impressed at the dedication of those who show all out commitment to achieve desired results. One word which could be used to describe such people and such an approach is 'WHOLEHEARTED'.

God looks for those who are wholehearted. When King Saul's son Jonathan decided to attack an encampment of enemy soldiers it was just him and his armour-bearer, whom he asked for a show of support. The response from the armour bearer was one in a million: 

Do all that you have in mind...Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul (1 Samuel 14v7)

Let's break it down:

1) DO ALL THAT YOU HAVE IN MIND. We might not agree with all that someone has in mind but if a friend, loved one or someone we have close links to is looking for support from our corner, it does not serve the relationship well to negotiate our level of support. True support that is 'wholehearted' is offered during all that a person is going through. 

2) GO AHEAD. This gives the green light for action. No debate necessary, it's a done deal! The plans God has for us are acted upon in the lives of willing participants. As N.A.S.A might say at the end of a countdown to space launch 'it's a go for lift off'. This 'go ahead' mindset is a statement to God saying 'go ahead, your will be done through me'. It's also a statement towards forces opposed to God's will being fulfilled in us that declares, 'go ahead, bring it on, do your worst'! 

3) I AM WITH YOU. This speaks of solidarity with those God wants us to support, to get behind, to come alongside. It lifts a person to know someone is on their side, that someone will walk with them through whatever they are about to experience. It also echoes and is a necessary response to God's promise to be with us:

The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go (Joshua 1v9b);

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matthew 28v20).

4) HEART & SOUL. We are commanded to love the Lord our God with all our heart & soul etc (Deuteronomy 6v5; 10v12; 11v13; 13v3; 30v6), to obey His commands with all our heart & soul (26v16; 30v10), to serve Him with all our heart & soul (Joshua 22v5). 

Jesus identified the first and greatest commandment in the Written Law:  

Love the Lord your God with all your heart & with all your soul and with all your mind (see Matthew 22v37).

Are we with God Heart & Soul? Are we on board with His will for our lives? Are we serving His purposes in our generation with all our heart and soul? We are to love and serve with all our heart and soul. Do our Christian brothers & sisters know our love and support? Would they say we are with them heart & soul?

As we consider all this the challenge is to be in tune with the spirit of Jonathan's armour-bearer which speaks of wholeheartedness.

As we embrace 'wholeheartedness' we become 'carriers'. What do I mean? Well, the armour-bearer carried the armour for the one who would wear it. He was a carrier rather than one who needed to be carried. Question > Are we carriers or those who need to be carried? It is inevitable that we will move between both positions as we journey through life. Predominantly, we should move towards being carriers, for carriers become contributors instead of consumers. 

Summary Questions

- Is our response to God: It's a go for lift off?

- Do we reflect God's promise to be with us in our relationship with others?

- Are we responding to God's love & grace with all our heart & soul in our loving, obeying & serving?

- Have we become carriers or those who are being carried all the time? 


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