The word of the week is engage/engaged. This word has come up quite a bit recently in our Revival Adult Bible Series. We have been talking about the importance of not just doing the mechanics of Christianity getting caught up in the things that need to be done, but instead engaging with your heart in Christianity. Two people can be doing the same task, with only one actually pleasing God - the difference is that one has engaged their heart. "...for the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7). Like the two Christians busy in ministry, it may look like they are both are pleasing to God as the outward appearance is the same, however, God is concerned with the heart.
The Meriam-Webster Dictionary defines engaged as to be occupied, pledged, greatly interested, involved especially in a hostile encounter or promised. The Strong's concordance defines engaged as to pledge, undertake, occupy, have fellowship or become surety for.
The bible verse that uses this word engaged is found in Jeremiah 30:21 it says how God "will cause them to draw near, and he shall approach unto me; for who is this who engaged his heart unto me? says the Lord." This piece of scripture is talking about how God will restore Israel and call them His people This restoration comes as God looks upon one who has his heart engaged towards God.
There are many instances that we use this word engage in everyday life, two of the most familiar are at a wedding proposal and a game of rugby. In a wedding proposal the couple are engaged after the party who was proposed to has accepted the proposal and pledges to marry them. In a game of rugby this term is the final phase of the scrum. The players are directed to crouch, touch, pause and then to engage. In this act of engaging all team mates must come together as a force against the opposition. One team mate can't decide they don't want to do it and walk off, engaging is commitment to the team and the cause.
If we think about these common instances of the term engage and compare them to the bible verse in Jeremiah we can see that for the man to have his heart engaged towards God he must be committed to and accept God's proposal for relationship. He must also stick to his pledge and see it though not doing anything halfheartedly but having an all in stance.
The thing about being engaged is that no one can make someone be engaged. Engagement is an act of will, it must be given and cannot be taken. Engagement is a decision.
So how can you become more engaged?
Accept God's proposal for relationship, knowing just as if you accepted a marriage proposal that you are pledging to stay committed to the the relationship.
Position yourself to engage taking away any distractions that could cause you to take your eyes off Christ.
It a decision - make the decision today.
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