Having a heart for God is life-changing. I met a man who was a professional football player in his prime a few years ago. As he entered the world of professional sports, he achieved what the world said was successful.
What he did not count on was that the world lied to him. With wealth came temptations and then the use of drugs to fill the void. After his football career was over, he fell into deep despair. Amid his pain, he cried out to the Lord, confessed his sins, and placed his faith in Jesus. Over time the Lord began to reshape his life, and he became a different person. Preaching the message at our church one Sunday, my friend was a person who overflowed with the love of Jesus. Like the prodigal son, he had come home.
Joshua’s Heart for God
Joshua was Moses’ second in command and was a man of deep faith and trust in the Lord. When the Israelites were outside the promised land, Moses sent twelve spies into the area to bring back a report. Joshua and eleven others ventured into the land the Lord had promised. After forty days, they returned an account of the land flowing with milk and honey. Caleb and Joshua said God would help them take the land. But others disagreed. Numbers 13:31 But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!”[1]
Joshua agreed with Caleb, but people believed those who did not trust the Lord, which brought about the anger of God. Numbers 14:23None of those who have treated me with contempt will ever see it. 24 But my servant Caleb has a different attitude than the others have. He has remained loyal to me, so I will bring him into the land he explored. His descendants will possess their full share of that land.[2] With this profound act of faith, Caleb’s life would never be the same. He would continue to walk in faith for the rest of his life and become one of the most outstanding leaders in their history.
You Can Have a Heart for God
One of the main characteristics of faithful believers is their heart for the Lord. When we have a heart for the Lord, we are willing and excited to be shaped and molded by God. You may be in the process of having a devoted heart. Unfortunately, growing faith in God is a journey, not a destination.
As you spend more time with the Lord, you will discover your relationship begins to grow, and you want to follow the Lord in a closer way. The Lord acts as a master sculptor to transform our hearts as we grow in faith. Each day all of us are given choices, but we can pray and ask for the Lord’s intervention to mold and shape our hearts for His purpose.
To learn more about having a heart for God, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/journey-wandering
[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Nu 13:31). Tyndale House Publishers.
[2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Nu 14:23–24). Tyndale House Publishers.