The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. 2 Chronicles 16:9 NLT
I am far from a football expert, but I am a pretty good fan. I love to watch “my teams” – that means the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League, Ohio State in college, and the Big 10. Currently I experience quite a bit more satisfaction watching Ohio State than the Browns.😊 But no matter the team, one of my favorite things to do is watch the quarterback. The quarterback gets his hands on the ball more than anyone else, but he can’t do much by himself. The quarterback has a plan and a strategy for every play, but it doesn’t always go as planned. As the quarterback quickly positions himself to throw the ball, I love watching him scanning the field, searching for the player who is totally focused on him, ready to receive the ball. He’s seeking someone to whom he can deliver a touchdown pass. It’s high pressure and can only succeed with undistracted focus. That’s the picture that comes to mind when I read these words from 2 Chronicles: “The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”
Fully committed to Jesus means following Him, focusing on Him in a world that is looking and going everywhere else. It’s challenging, and the playing field is full of distractions. But the courage-inspiring fact that can keep me going for the win is that God is not just watching me –He is actively seeking someone whose loyalty is undivided; whose focus and commitment are complete. His goal is not to grade my performance or punish. He wants to empower me. His goal is to pour His strength into me. He will show Himself strong on my behalf.
The condition is my fully focused and committed heart. I must rely on Him and His direction, not my own strength, wisdom, and resources. My success will always depend on my intentional, focused commitment to Him, always looking to Him. Think of it – God is EAGER to work on my behalf. He is eager to make certain I succeed in life’s most important goals.
God is right now looking for you to strengthen you. You need to position yourself to be found. You must be intentional about turning your heart and eyes to Him so He can act on your behalf. You do that by confessing anywhere you have been relying on yourself, thinking you can handle things alone. Commit yourself to Him and ask God to help you have a transformed, wholeheartedly devoted heart. Ask God to pour His strength and courage into you and reveal His power in your current circumstances. He’s looking for you. Make sure you’re consistently looking to Him.
- God, today at the start of this new year I affirm my desire to be one of those You can strengthen to bring glory to You and do Your will and work. I want to catch Your eye today.