Seed for the Harvest
Single-Minded Service

One of Jesus’ more familiar statements is, “You cannot serve God and mammon” (Mt.6:24). When most people hear these words, they think something like, “Whoa, I need to make sure my interest in money doesn’t get too great a hold on my heart.”

But there’s something else these words of Christ should get us to consider. We need to make a choice about whom (or what) it is we serve in this life. For no one can serve two masters.

God doesn’t want us in some middle, uncommitted ground. He calls us to make a clear decision as to who our master really is, and have our lives follow through by faith.

Christ’s words about God and mammon are not the only ones in the Bible that confront us with the need to choose our object of devotion decisively and wisely.

When God called Abraham to follow Him into a new land, Abraham had to make decision to actually leave behind his old life and go. When the Lord told Noah to make an ark, Noah had to choose to ignore the ridicule of the masses and find himself some gopher wood. When the prophet Elijah addressed the people of his day, he said to them, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him.” And, when Jesus said to Peter, “Come!” while he was in the boat, Peter had to actually get out of the boat, get his feet wet, and walk on the water.

Something all of these examples have in common is that they tell us about the nature of biblical faith.

Biblical faith is more than just believing certain facts are true or giving mental assent to certain doctrines – even demons can do that much! Biblical faith is about being willing to head in the direction that the Lord lays before you, and trusting Him along the way. Anything short of this is to live in a double-minded way, something the Lord despises.

When the Bible teaches us to pray for wisdom, it urges us to ask in faith, without any doubting. Otherwise, we’ll be like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind – because that is the consequence of double-minded living (Jas.1:8).

On the other hand, if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light (Mt.6:22). Your mind’s eye will have a singleness of purpose and you will have the pleasure of walking in the Lord’s light as you focus on pleasing Him.

How many today are conflicted and confused because they are trying to serve the Lord in a double-minded way? As a result they are miserable and miss the good that God has in store for them.

Double-mindedness toward the Lord leads to misery. We must serve Him in a single-minded way to know His peace and favor upon our lives.

Choose this day whom you will serve!

Questions or comments? Email me at davidjbostromATgmail.com or visit my blog at dbostrom.wordpress.com.

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