“He was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.”
Acts 11:23
Though we
do not have much of it in this age of spineless religion, there is nevertheless
much in the Bible about the place of moral determination in the service of the
Lord.
The Old Testament tells us that “Jacob vowed a vow,” and Daniel “purposed in his heart.” Paul determined “not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” Above all, we have the example of the Lord Jesus “setting His face like a flint” and walking straight toward the Cross. These and many others have left us a record of spiritual greatness born out of a will firmly set to do the will of God!
They did not try to float to heaven on a perfumed cloud, but cheerfully accepted the fact that “with purpose of heart they must cleave to the Lord.”
We must surrender – and in that terrible, wonderful moment we may feel that our will has been forever broken, but such is not the case. In His conquest of the soul, God purges the will and brings it into union with His own, but He never breaks it!