The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war.
—2 Chronicles 16:9
Scripture:
Before he became a great evangelist, D. L. Moody found himself in a conversation with another evangelist named Henry Varley. Varley said to Moody, “The world has yet to see what God will do with a man fully consecrated to Him.”
Those words burrowed deep into Moody’s heart. He replied with something along the lines of, “I will try my utmost to be that man.” He came very close to finding out. God accomplished immeasurable things in and through D. L. Moody. Countless lives were transformed because of his ministry. You might say D. L. Moody was a “book of Acts” type of guy.
The book of Acts tells the story of ordinary men and women who accomplished extraordinary things because they allowed God to have His way in their lives. When some troublemakers in Thessalonica tried to stir up a vigilante mob against Paul and Silas, they said, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too” (Acts 17:6 NKJV). God used Paul, Silas, and countless others to turn their world upside down. He wants to use you for the same purpose.
Are you willing? The process starts with your saying, “Lord, I want to make a difference. I don’t want this world to turn me around. I want to turn it around. Use me.”
The world has yet to see what God can do with and through the person who is totally committed to Him. Will God find such a person today? I wonder if you, like D. L. Moody, would say, “I want to be that person.”
2 Chronicles 16:9 says, “The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (NLT). This isn’t a BYOS—Bring Your Own Strength—calling. You don’t need to be naturally strong to turn your world upside down. Or naturally gifted. Or naturally charismatic. You just need to commit yourself to God and His purposes. The Lord will do the rest.
If you will commit to the Lord, there’s no telling what kind of difference you can make in the world. There’s no telling how far the ripples of your ministry will extend—throughout the world and throughout the years. It will be exciting in the days ahead to see what God will do through and with you. But He wants you to be available to Him.
One of these days, your life will come to an end. What will you say about it? What will others say about it?
How great it would be to say, like the world-up-ender Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful” (2 Timothy 4:7 NLT).
Reflection question: What would a total commitment to God look like in your life? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!
