Undivided

Undivided

Psalm 86 records a prayer of David. In his distress, he reflects on the greatness and faithfulness of God, and reminds himself that there is no other god like the Lord. He finds peace in the midst of trouble by trusting in the Lord. In verse 11, he prays, teach me your way Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name.

Just like David, it is a good idea for us to ask the Lord to give us an undivided heart. Why? Because verse 11 continues to tell us that the outcome of an undivided heart is the ability to fear the Lord. This is not fear in the sense of spooky or scary. Rather it means living in a way that honors and respects the Lord.

What does it look like to live with an undivided heart? Think of it like this. Sometimes we separate life into two different categories, everyday life and spiritual life. We view our everyday life as the usual activities and demands of each day, such as going to work, taking care of family, relaxing at home, and being with friends, while we view our spiritual life as prayer time, reading the bible, and going to church.

Living with an undivided heart means not making a distinction between how we approach everyday life and spiritual life. Rather than separating them, we integrate them. We don't elevate or minimize one over the other, we see them both as equally valuable and meaningful. In other words, they don't compete one against the other, but they support and enhance each other. We strive to live for God all the time, not just when we are doing spiritual things.

That's what Empower NBCA School of Ministry is all about. Following the call of God by learning to live with an undivided heart.