Heart Tracks - Endorsing Jesus

"I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day." 2 Timothy 1:12...."The housewife, who, when told to endorse a check wrote, 'I heartily endorse this check,' was not unlike some of us in spiritual matters. We endorse the Bible as God's Word and Jesus as God's Son, but we do not actually 'sign our name,' we do not make it personal. We believe, but we do not commit all we are and have to it." ....
Vance Havner

In the jaded world of politics, there may be no weaker statement than the endorsement of a particular public figure for a candidate for office. These endorsements can be very half-hearted, and easily withdrawn. The words may be spoken, but the actions of the speaker say something else entirely. They endorse with the giving of their words, not with the giving of themselves. As concerns Jesus Christ, how like them are we? Like the housewife in Havner's illustration are we endorsing Him with our words, but keeping ourselves back? Have we "signed our name" to Him in response to His signing His name to us in His blood?

Something I've found in my journey with Him is that so much of what I believed was my faith in Him, in His Word, His promises, His Presence, was much more endorsement that it was total commitment. 2 Timothy 1:12 would be a prime example. It's one of the earliest promises that I would lay claim to. I believed it, endorsed it, but it was not until my life came to a place where every other hope was lost that I would sign my name to it, commit all I was and had to it. I think most of us are of like experience. The great problem for us is that too many never get past this place. We never allow ourselves to be in a situation where Christ, His Word, His Truth, are all we have. We always seem to excel at having back-up plans, stashed resources, or some flesh engineered means of changing our situation, transforming our circumstances. We endorse Christ as our only hope, but we sign our names to other people or means as our real source of hope. Like the housewife, we heartily endorse Him in public, but in private, we easily sign our names away to another. And we're very skilled at deluding ourselves as to the truth of all that.

Of all men who ever lived, perhaps none knew Christ more intimately than Paul. When Christ first called him to Himself, it was with the truth that with that call would come unimaginable suffering. In that suffering, Paul learned to put his name upon the One who promised to make him "more than a conqueror" in all of it. He knew His Lord. He said that he bore upon his body, "the brand-marks of Christ." These marks were where Christ had signed His name upon Paul's heart and soul. Paul had a holy confidence so deep that he would willingly sign his name, his life, upon Christ and His Word. The powerful witness of Paul wasn't that he was a living endorsement of Him, but a living vessel of His presence in and through Him. Christ had written His signature upon Paul's life, and Paul, in holy trust, had written his name upon his Savior. Have we?

2 Timothy 1:12 is Paul's signature upon the faithfulness of Christ. It was binding for his life here, and into eternity. Upon what and who have we placed our signature? Do we give empty words of endorsement while we look to someone or something else? Do we know? Do we believe? Can we put our names on that? Does He have your endorsement, or does He have you?

Blessings,
Pastor O