All-in Wholehearted Allegiance

A diligent social research scientist studied people for ten years. Paraphrasing her three-fold conclusion: (1) “wholeheartedness” provides the most crucial key for healthy lives since people exist for connection; (2) a deep sense of shame debilitates people, breaking connection and undermining wholeheartedness; (3) most conclude the world is unsafe.

Kudos on excellent observations…directly from Genesis 1-3! The Fall severed this connected relationship, resulting in guilt, shame and a deep sense of unworthiness (Gen. 2:25). God designed us to give Him full allegiance (wholehearted). In turn He gives us Himself, which includes healthy connections with people, freedom from shame and a safe haven.

Kudos, yet she appears to have no compelling answer how we live a wholehearted life. And more particularly, wholehearted toward Whom?

As we begin to answer life’s two essential questions more accurately (“What is God like? “How does this God see and know me?”), we move towards a healthier, more connected life. When we see God as He truly is, we gladly commit our full allegiance to the King of all kings. We are all-in, wholehearted, which is the only completely sane response to three such amazing Friends (Romans 12:1).

In Genesis 3, Satan deceived Eve with three implied questions. “Am I enough?” “Am I worthy?” “Am I loveable as I now am?” Eve dialoged with our enemy. She falsely answered all three, “NO.” She attempted to carve out her own answers separate from God, eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The serpent deceived Adam and Eve to grasp for what God had already freely given them as their heritage. This same deceitful strategy lies at the heart of sin today, our illegitimate attempt to meet legitimate, God-given needs in our own way and with our own resources. As God’s redeemed children, we must know ourselves as God does, or we will fall for the devil’s traps.

In a word, God wants us to be wholehearted for Him. If we answer any of the three questions above in the negative, it undermines God’s provision. Then we believe God failed us in some way. Especially in tough times, we must know God is our all in all. Jesus shouts, “Yes, you are more than enough, worthy because of Me!”

 

Knowing ourselves as unconditionally loved transforms the way we look at God, ourselves and the world. It releases our God-given creativity and ingenuity, turning us into agile, servant-first prepared influencers with the skill of learning on the fly. Develop confidence that you (and others trained like this) learn to process new info and make course adjustments, working toward solutions to each problem on our journey. “Have it all, Lord!”

This is Reflection #49 in my book, Foundation Stones. I also have a web-site with tools, books and "more than Bible studies" that have helped me to live out of this spiritual DNA, www.JimFredericks.com