Ambition (Part 2)
"Ambition" means "to seek after earnestly." It's possessing such a deep desire for something that you willingly and urgently strive toward attaining it.
So what is it that you earnestly seek after? What is your ambition? If you're not sure how to answer those questions, then take a moment to honestly reflect on these:
We all have ambition. We all have the capacity to seek earnestly after something. If you doubt this, lose your keys. You will destroy your house in order to find your keys. Why? It's because you need your keys. You can't lock and unlock doors without them. You can't start the car without them. Understanding how dependent you are on your keys, you willingly and urgently look for them until you find them. You have no choice.
We all have the wherewithals to diligently seek after our needs and desires. We all have a great capacity for great ambition. That's not in question. What is in question, however, is what it is that our ambition is directed toward.
The truth is that much in this world is not worthy of our ambition. I would argue that the great majority of stuff in this world doesn't deserve our time and energy. Further, I would humbly argue that there is only one thing that does deserve our striving after. There is only one thing worthy of our ambition; and that one thing is the glory of God.
Consider Moses. He had one of the most uniquely personal relationship with God in all of human history. God personally spoke to Moses through a burning bush that was not consumed. God personally called Moses to one of the great tasks of the Bible - to lead the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage. God personally gave Moses authority to be His spokesman and representative. God personally worked miracles through Moses (i.e. parting of the Red Sea). God personally provided Moses with prophetic insight concerning the future. God personally commissioned Moses to receive all of the covenant law on behalf of Israel. God personally invited Moses, and only Moses, to ascend Mount Sinai, to enter into the smoke, the fire, the thunder that engulfed the Mount when God descended upon it (Exo. 19:18-20).
Moses experienced relationship and intimacy with God in a way that a very select few ever have. Moses gained a knowledge of the truth of God unlike even the majority of the champions of the Bible. Moses had an access to God only eclipsed by Jesus Himself. And here's the thing: that wasn't enough for Moses.
After everything Moses had heard, seen, and experience, he wanted more of God. So in Exodus 33:18 he makes one of the greatest requests recorded in Scripture: "Show me Your glory!" Moses knew that there was more to God than what he had heard, seen, and experienced. His ambition was to know God as fully as possible. His ambition was the glory of God.
One of the great marks of genuine Christianity is a deep, heartfelt desire to experience the glory of God. One of the great characteristics of authentic Christian faith is seeking earnestly for more of the glory of God. One of the great traits of true conversion to Christ is ambition for the sake of the glory of God.
Right Christian ambition is having such an intensely urgent desire for God's glory that we bend our lives to strive toward it. It is possessing such an insatiable hunger for more of the Lord that we relentlessly pursue Him toward that end.
Fortunately, God is easily found. God hasn't hidden Himself and His glory from us. In fact, God has made sure to show us His glory. He did so by sending His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus reveals to us the glory of God (John 1:14); and He is the King of Glory. If you desire to exercise right Christian ambition, then direct your life toward Jesus and follow in His footsteps.
How do we do that?
So what is it that you earnestly seek after? What is your ambition? If you're not sure how to answer those questions, then take a moment to honestly reflect on these:
- What is it that motivates you?
- What do you daydream about?
- What is it that thrills your heart and fills your thoughts with imagination?
- What do you spend your time and money on?
- If you could do one thing, what would it be?
- If you had one wish, what would you wish for?
We all have ambition. We all have the capacity to seek earnestly after something. If you doubt this, lose your keys. You will destroy your house in order to find your keys. Why? It's because you need your keys. You can't lock and unlock doors without them. You can't start the car without them. Understanding how dependent you are on your keys, you willingly and urgently look for them until you find them. You have no choice.
We all have the wherewithals to diligently seek after our needs and desires. We all have a great capacity for great ambition. That's not in question. What is in question, however, is what it is that our ambition is directed toward.
The truth is that much in this world is not worthy of our ambition. I would argue that the great majority of stuff in this world doesn't deserve our time and energy. Further, I would humbly argue that there is only one thing that does deserve our striving after. There is only one thing worthy of our ambition; and that one thing is the glory of God.
Consider Moses. He had one of the most uniquely personal relationship with God in all of human history. God personally spoke to Moses through a burning bush that was not consumed. God personally called Moses to one of the great tasks of the Bible - to lead the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage. God personally gave Moses authority to be His spokesman and representative. God personally worked miracles through Moses (i.e. parting of the Red Sea). God personally provided Moses with prophetic insight concerning the future. God personally commissioned Moses to receive all of the covenant law on behalf of Israel. God personally invited Moses, and only Moses, to ascend Mount Sinai, to enter into the smoke, the fire, the thunder that engulfed the Mount when God descended upon it (Exo. 19:18-20).
Moses experienced relationship and intimacy with God in a way that a very select few ever have. Moses gained a knowledge of the truth of God unlike even the majority of the champions of the Bible. Moses had an access to God only eclipsed by Jesus Himself. And here's the thing: that wasn't enough for Moses.
After everything Moses had heard, seen, and experience, he wanted more of God. So in Exodus 33:18 he makes one of the greatest requests recorded in Scripture: "Show me Your glory!" Moses knew that there was more to God than what he had heard, seen, and experienced. His ambition was to know God as fully as possible. His ambition was the glory of God.
One of the great marks of genuine Christianity is a deep, heartfelt desire to experience the glory of God. One of the great characteristics of authentic Christian faith is seeking earnestly for more of the glory of God. One of the great traits of true conversion to Christ is ambition for the sake of the glory of God.
Right Christian ambition is having such an intensely urgent desire for God's glory that we bend our lives to strive toward it. It is possessing such an insatiable hunger for more of the Lord that we relentlessly pursue Him toward that end.
Fortunately, God is easily found. God hasn't hidden Himself and His glory from us. In fact, God has made sure to show us His glory. He did so by sending His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus reveals to us the glory of God (John 1:14); and He is the King of Glory. If you desire to exercise right Christian ambition, then direct your life toward Jesus and follow in His footsteps.
How do we do that?
- Pray for the glory of God to be seen in, through, and around your life
- Meditate on the glory of God - read and study God's Word
- Surround yourself with believers whose ambition is the glory of God
- Share Jesus with non-believers that they may experience the glory of God
You have a great capacity for great ambition - to earnestly seek after that which you need and desire. My prayer for is that you may apply your ambition toward that which is worthy of your ambition. May the words of Psalm 105:3 become true in your life: Glory in His holy name; let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
In awe of Jesus,
Pastor Rick
In awe of Jesus,
Pastor Rick
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