In a BVI devoid of effective leadership, a territory straying from our biblical teaching and struggling to understand who we are culturally and spiritually; and what we were born to do, the Bible give us guidance.
Isaiah 6:8 KJV
[8] Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
It is the age old query of leaders from the earliest recorded history until now. Who is willing, who is qualified, who is committed to the cause above self? As we can see from the scripture text, as all powerful as he is, God had this challenge which continues until today and will continue if there is a dependency on ‘Free Will’ humans to fill the void.
This void is common to all spheres of life, not uniquely limited to religion, although the argument holds true that the pool for religious assignments (or shall we simply say committed souls) is much more constricted than for the other areas of responsibility.
A firm commitment therefore, sets one apart to their particular calling and ensures a high degree of dependability and sustainability to the one making the appointment.
Luke 10:2 KJV
[2] Therefore said he unto them, the harvests truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
Here we see that 700 years after Isaiah prophesied about him, Jesus is addressing the same issue of “who will go”, and now 2000 years after Christ, we still have the same issue.
For governmental and political assignments, the democratic systems in the West have largely replaced autocratic appointments. But, for religious assignments, the appointment still (thankfully) is governed by prayerful considerations. This is key because secular and political appointments address the temporary issues of life, while religious appointments address the eternal destiny of us all.
2 Corinthians 5:10 KJV
For we all must appear at the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Life is a journey, from birth (out of eternity) to death (return to eternity). Once we are born, it is an automatic journey, no commitment is needed to complete it. Simply put, after you were born you will die without any additional effort or input.
Within this life journey there are many journeys which require a firm commitment in order to complete them. For example, our education, our various projects and assignments, our personal relationships and marriages, our career and financial goals, our purpose driven journey and especially, our Christian journey require a firm commitment to complete them successfully.
Within each of these various journeys there will be challenges, tests and obstacles, but a firm commitment guarantees a victorious completion. A firm commitment is priceless!
What about when you get so deep into your journey that you cannot see the beginning and cannot see the end, what will get you to completion? A firm commitment that says, “I Refuse to Lose!”
Sometimes commitment is to keep on trying until you get it right, sometimes it’s refusing to hear anything except “I will make it!”, sometimes it’s simply waiting on the Lord with a heart of humility, committed not to move until He says to move.
A major issue for Christians is not waiting for God’s instructions, direction, revelation, advice, and wisdom. Simply put, we pray, get up and do our own thing and claim, “well I told God about it” BUT did you wait to hear God’s opinion?
The hymn What a Friend We Have in Jesus says “Oh what peace we often forfeit, Oh what needless pain we bear, all because we Do Not carry everything to God in prayer”.
When we initiate a conversation with God, we must be committed to Wait for His answer. The lost part of God’s original intent for relationship with us was to commune daily as he did with Adam. We have become so concerned and occupied with benefits and blessings of the relationship that we have largely ignored the sweet peace of a constant communicative relationship with God. Such a relationship will avoid many pitfalls, mistakes, losses, and regrets. It is the crown jewel of all relationships and we have simply Ignored it!
When we are committed, forgiveness will be automatic!
Matthew 18:34-35
God has actually put the ability for Him to forgive us into our hands. When we from our hearts forgive others (no matter what) then God forgives us. When we do not forgive others, God does not forgive us. That is Too Big a risk to take with our eternal destiny.
When we are committed we lay aside the weights.
Hebrews 12:1-2 KJV
[1] Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, [2] Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;…
When we are committed we will read, study the bible and our educational discipline in addition to prayer.
1 Peter 2:1-2 KJV
[1] Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speaking, [2] As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby:
When we are committed, we will say like Paul:
Romans 8:35-39 KJV
[35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? [36] As it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. [37] Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. [38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, [39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
When we are committed we will say like Isaiah:
[8] Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
When we are committed it will be apparent to all, because true commitment will outlast the period of pretense. We need committed souls is every area of society, especially in the ministry of our eternal destiny. Are you committed to making a serious commitment?