Recently I was listening to someone explain what a headache they had been enduring because of recent flooding inside their house. There’s a lot of different types of damage that flooding can cause! Certain personal belongings can be damaged beyond repair. The concern of mold is very real. The challenges of dealing with contractors’ availability and scheduling them to get the work done is a hassle.
But by far the biggest issue in this case was the matter of insurance. Unfortunately, as it turned out, they had been in their home for some time, but as the value of the home increased over the years, the level of their coverage had not increased along with it. So not only were they dealing with the flooding issues, but also the financial woes of being able to cover all of the expenses when their insurance wasn’t current and complete. Whether it’s home, auto, or life insurance, we want to make sure that whatever coverage we have is complete, so we that aren’t lacking anything if the need comes to utilize it.
While I’m not writing to sell you insurance, I am writing to remind you that God is looking for something else that is not partial or lacking, but complete: complete commitment to him. The interaction Jesus had with several potential followers in Luke 9 showcased what incomplete commitment looked like. “As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God’” (Luke 9:57-62).
That is the opposite of this current series theme, “Undivided Attention.” That is what divided attention looks like. That is also what incomplete commitment looks like. It essentially says, “Yes, Lord, I am very interested in following you… as long as it’s OK that you are good with playing second fiddle, because honestly, it’s not always convenient, and I’m always going to have other things to do that will have to come first. But if that’s OK with you, then I’m on board with following you after I get all of the other stuff done.” That’s not complete commitment.
So what does complete commitment look like? There is quite a remarkable incident recorded for us in 1 Kings 19. Outside of the writings of other notable prophets in the Old Testament, Elijah’s ministry and miracles make him the most prominent prophet. In fact, many of those amazing miracles are recorded in the verses and chapters preceding these verses from 1 Kings. They tell of the widow at Zarapheth and raising her son from the dead. We ascend Mt. Carmel with Elijah, where God utterly embarrassed the prophets of Baal in an unforgettably epic showdown. And we see God using one of the creatures of his creation to feed Elijah in an unprecedented way. From there, God directed Elijah to appoint his successor, Elisha, to begin mentoring him for his own prophetic ministry.
The manner in which he did it seemed rather… ordinary. Elisha was out farming the fields, when suddenly “Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him” (1 Kings 19:19c). That was the equivalent of our practice or ordaining a seminary graduate into the pastoral ministry. At that service, the pastor-elect is installed and, for the first time, receives his stole, the colorful strip of fabric around a pastor’s neck, which is symbolic of being yoked to Jesus and his words in his ministry. In Elijah’s day, instead of a stole, his cloak was a symbol of the Spirit’s power being on him, and he was now designating Elisha to receive that power and privilege.
What happens next sounds an awful lot like what I referenced in Luke 9 earlier in this post. “Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,” he said, “and then I will come with you.” “Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?” (v.20). Wait a minute. Why wasn’t Elisha’s request met with the same sort of rebuke Jesus issued to his potential followers? We might expect almost an identical response to what Jesus gave: “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (Luke 9: 62). Not only was Elisha making the exact same request to say goodbye to his family, but it was even more appropriate, given that Elisha was literally driving a plow! So why no rebuke?
Because of what happened next.
“So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant” (1 Kings 19:21). Elisha wasn’t distracted; he was determined. His attentions weren’t divided; he was devoted. And he showed it by cutting ties with family, friends, and his soon-to-be former farming way of life. His commitment was complete.
That kind of response from Elijah to God’s calling may lead you to think of another well-known decision in history. In 1519, Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortez eventually landed in Mexico. Once he and his crew had disembarked, he famously directed them to burn all of the ships in their fleet. At that point, there was no going back; there was no returning. They were committed to their commission to explore and find wealth, glory, and fame. Regardless of how questionable the actions of Cortez were from that point after, no one could question his commitment. It was complete.
Is yours? When it comes to your calling for complete commitment to Christ, does your commitment measure up? I’ll answer for you, because I know that everyone, including myself, can only respond to that question in one way: absolutely not. Our commitment to Christ is far from complete. It ranges anywhere from curious investigator to actively engaged church member, but no matter where we fall in that range, it’s all a far cry from complete commitment.
How do we know? You be the judge: what kind of criteria would you expect of a Christian who claims to be committed? Is a believer who only once in a blue moon brings up Jesus in conversations outside of church committed? Is a follower of Jesus whose words and actions in daily life rarely reflect the words and actions of Jesus committed? Is a Christian who hasn’t supported the gospel ministry of Jesus’ church with so much as a dime for years committed? Is the child of God who hasn’t been in the house of God for over twelve months committed? Is the one quick to claim the title of Christian who never has time for Christ really committed?
When these questions are raised, they may cause us to dig in our heels and quickly point out that only God can judge hearts, not us. That is 100% true! But sadly, we don’t have to judge hearts when a person’s words and actions plainly reveal so much… or so little. It isn’t difficult to see when a believer’s fruits are so spoiled or sorely lacking.
There is another reason that God is concerned about our commitment to him. He knows that a lack of commitment to him is not just a lack of commitment to him; it’s also a deeper, increasing commitment to whatever it is we think is more worthy of our time than Christ. And what do you think happens over time as our indifference toward Christ coincides with more time, energy, and resources going toward whatever it is that is keeping us from him? That thing, that person, that priority WILL eventually be treasured more in our heart. And if nothing changes, it WILL completely crowd out Christ. Then we will finally have what we’re after: complete commitment – to unbelief and its final destination: hell.
Do you understand how much Jesus doesn’t want that for anyone? Do you have any idea? Can you comprehend the level of commitment he showed, sacrificing not just himself on the cross – for this we know so well and too quickly gloss over – but also the lifestyle sacrifices he made. Jesus didn’t have his own bed or place to live during his ministry, so there were no visions of dream homes or remodels that he had to busy himself with. He didn’t care about having the nicest ride on the block, whatever that might have been. He didn’t throw himself tirelessly into chasing friendships or looking for that special someone. He wasn’t interested in keeping up with the Joneses or making sure he didn’t miss the latest show everyone’s talking about. He didn’t concern himself with where he was going to go out to eat each night. He didn’t have kids to idolize.
Instead, Jesus, “for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted” (Hebrews 12:2-3). Jesus’ attention was undivided. Jesus’ commitment was complete. He was singularly focused on carrying out every last detail of our salvation. Why? Because he knew the price that had to be paid for uncommitted followers to ever have a place in heaven. He didn’t just know the price; he paid it. Completely.
So be at peace, for our incomplete commitment is overshadowed by our Savior’s perfectly complete commitment in every single detail and nuance of his entire life. And not just in words and actions, but even in his thoughts and emotions! His commitment to his Father and to holy obedience to his calling provides everything that is lacking in each of us individually. And his commitment to us fans into flame our desire to level up our commitment to him. What does that look like?
Here’s a question for you to wrestle with: is your level of commitment not where it should be because of other distractions in your life that get in the way, or do the other distractions get in the way because your level of commitment is not where it should be? Get to the bottom of that question, while embracing your Savior’s complete commitment to you, and you’ll be on the right path toward a deeper commitment to Christ.