Are you a loyally committed one?

Photo by Felicia-Buitenwerfon Unsplash.

He [God] keeps his eye on all who live honestly, and pays special attention to his loyally committed ones.

Proverbs 2:8 The Message

 

King Solomon makes an intriguing statement.

 

Solomon says God watches those who live honestly and “pays special attention to his loyally committed ones.”

 

I have just entered the grandparent phase of my life and use it to explain what Solomon says.

 

I recently put our two-month-old grandson down for a nap and went into the kitchen to help my wife. Every few minutes, I poked my head around the corner to see how the little munchkin was doing.

 

I was keeping an eye on him and paying him special attention.

 

It paints a picture of God doing whatever he does in heaven and occasionally looking in my direction to see how I am doing.

 

I do not know how he could do that with nearly eight billion people on Earth. I know the spirit is likened to the wind, but does the wind in California feel me when it crosses my face in Florida?

 

I would think not, so that doesn’t help me.

 

Then I realized that I didn’t have to accept it.

 

Solomon mentions two prerequisites to experiencing God’s attention.

 

God keeps his eye on those who live honestly.

 

Honesty is a core character trait of God.

 

In the beginning he took issue with the man (Adam) when he confronted him about eating the fruit from the forbidden tree.

 

Instead of being honest—yes, I did it; it is my fault—he cloaked his confession with blame—it was her fault.

 

Adam’s answer did not sit well with God, and they had to leave the garden.

 

God has not changed his position on living honestly.

 

Just before his passion (suffering), Jesus told Peter he would three times deny he knew Jesus.

 

Peter was adamant he would not do such a thing (more about that shortly), yet in the early hours of the following morning, three times, he denied knowing Jesus.

 

The Bible says Peter went out and wept bitterly. (more about that shortly)

 

Living honestly is important to Jesus.

 

God pays special attention to his loyally committed ones.

 

Notice the intensity of this statement.

 

This special attention is not to committed ones but to HIS LOYALLY committed ones.

 

To belong to the Lord, you must let go of yourself. This is not a vocal expression saying I am Christian but a heartfelt acknowledgment that you belong to Christ.

 

In one place in the New Testament book of John, many of those following him shook their heads at the difficult things he said and walked away. This is like the vocal expression of saying I am Christian. You do okay until something hard is asked of you, and your response is I am outta here.

 

A loyally committed one is one whose heart is surrendered to Christ and God’s plan for their lives.

 

It doesn’t matter if it is hard (in the sense that you are not going anyway). You committed in your heart and will honor it at all costs.

 

The Apostle Peter is one example of this.

 

Peter and his brother Andrew left the family business to follow Jesus. When asked if the twelve would go like the others, who did not want to hear the hard things, Peter stepped up and said, “We’re staying.”

 

When Jesus asked who people said he was, Peter stepped up and said, “You are the Son of God.”

 

Peter adamantly opposed Jesus’ words that he would deny him.

 

Once he did, Peter went to a solitary place and bitterly wept because he allowed fear to overrule his heart.

This is what it means to be a loyally committed one.

Are you a loyally committed one?

You are if:

You live an honest life, taking responsibility for your actions.

 

You follow Jesus with your entire being and not just lip service.

 

You have committed to the long haul, no matter the cost.

 

It does not mean you will not make mistakes—Peter did—but it means you have committed your life to living for and walking with God through his son, Jesus, and in the grace and power of the Holy Spirit.

 

A close personal relationship with the Godhead provides you a living hope. It is a living anticipation full of expectation of something good happening.

 

 

A close personal relationship with the Godhead is a journey. I invite you to follow along. As I learn, I will pass it along so you, too, can learn. I hope that as you learn, you can pass it along so that I (and others) might learn.