UNDIVIDED HEART

Bobservations Column
by Pastor Bob Lawrenz

A sinful world will always work to invade our lives and interrupt our service to God. When Jesus tells us that we are in the world, but not to be of the world, we might scratch our heads and wonder how we can separate ourselves from worldly distractions and habits. 

    Glorifying God, and being thankful for all things is the first step. Romans 1:21 is a strong, healthy warning to those whom refuse to give glory to God, and will instead grumble about everything. Bringing every thought into the captivity of Christ is another step. Scriptures even tell us that talking to ourselves will fill a void in our thought processes: “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, and giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus  Christ.”  (Ephesians 5:19 & 20)

    Merely whistling while you work can leave you like a couple of the Seven Dwarfs in Snow White: Grumpy & Dopey. Those dwarfs were named after normal human traits. Happy, Doc, Bashful, Grumpy, Sneezy, Sleepy, and Dopey. The names define who they are. The traits are as human as we are without Christ.

    To lift ourselves to God’s use, we must want to be better than that. We must desire to be changed, and allow God’s Divine Holy Spirit to flow through us to change us. To dwell on His word, to meditate on it always, and to sing of His glorious works will keep our minds occupied with heavenly things, even as we work though our earthly  responsibilities.

    How much better it is to “put on” the things of the seven spirits of God (Isaiah 11:2), rather than the things of the Seven Dwarfs. While they are caught up in their own fantasy world, we can be raised up to the heavenlies and begin to take on Godly attributes. The simplicity of our mundane lives allows us to work, and to give our hearts and minds over to God in the process.

    The “Proberbs 31 Woman” has succeeded in her many tasks of each day, but she has clearly been focused on God’s word as she works through each task.

 “She openeth her mouth with wisdom; 

and in her tongue is the law of kindness.”

Prov. 31:26