“Jesus knew their thoughts and replied, ‘Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart.’” (Matthew 12:25 NLT)
What does it mean to love someone with an undivided heart? Be careful, it doesn’t mean to love them exclusively. Our hearts will always require us to love many people. The Lord may own our heart, in the sense that we owe Him full allegiance and total commitment, but we will never love anyone alone, not even God.
Remember Jesus’ words in John 14:15? “If you love Me, obey My commandments.” Loving God with an undivided heart means devoting our energy to the fulfillment of His commands, but it also means obeying Him with a singular focus. How so? How effective will you be as a marriage partner if you have another love interest?
Corky Calhoun wrote: “Obedience is not a requirement of Christian commitment and discipleship, it’s the by-product of an undivided heart.” While I didn’t see his statement in context, so don’t know this with certainty, what it says to me is obedience must be the result of the desire of a heart with a singular focus, bent on pleasing Jesus. A focus that results in following Jesus with full devotion, not having one foot in the world and one foot in my life with Christ.
Obviously, we have many areas of interest and concern as human beings. We have relationships with family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, special interest groups, etc., but as a believer in Jesus we’re called to have a relationship with Him. How can we juggle all these relationships, put Jesus first, and walk in obedience to His directives?
In some ways it’s no different than being married and having all the other relationships. In marriage we still need time with friends apart from our spouse. I belong to a Men’s Group, my wife has her Women’s Group, and we both attend a Couple’s Group. But the design of each of these groups is to make us a better spouse, not push us in opposite directions.
Corky Calhoun also wrote: “Way too many Christians these days are letting the things of this world come between what Jesus is trying to unite.” In my mind the single most important area that demands unity is our heart and mind. We’ve got to determine where our “citizenship” is – heaven or earth? To profess Jesus and live like the devil, so attached to the things of this world we bear no likeness of Jesus is the product of a divided heart.
An undivided heart seeks to reflect the character of Christ in the things we say and do, regardless of who we’re with or where we are. Paul David Tripp wrote: “Live today in the power of the resurrection, power to say ‘no’ to what leads to death and the power to say ‘yes’ to what gives life.” To me that doesn’t mean every decision we make will change our eternal outcome, but holds the potential of interrupting the course of our journey, either moving us closer to the Lord or driving us away from Him.
If I love my wife with an undivided heart I won’t be lusting after other women on the internet or otherwise, and if I love Jesus I won’t be lusting after the things of this world. My focus will be locked on fulfilling my goal of full devotion to my Master, whether in my activities or my relationships.
Having an undivided heart doesn’t mean I can’t love other people or even other things, I just appreciate them in the context of my total commitment to carrying out God’s will in my life. I love nature, but I see it as evidence of the grandeur and majesty of my Creator. And I love my wife as the precious gift from God that she is.
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 