God is Looking for a Man

In 2nd Chronicles 16 9 we read, For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. That word perfect in the Hebrew language means a man's heart that is undivided toward God. That is the key, friends, to the understanding of this verse.

King Solomon began well, but he didn't finish well. Because his heart became divided with foreign women and foreign gods, he began to set his affections on other things other than God, and his heart became divided, and because of that, that transgression, the kingdom was torn from him and divided as well. We see the sad consequences of his divided heart as seen in 1st Kings.

And the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared to him twice. Solomon's sin was an aggravated sin because God had appeared to him twice, therefore God expected twice as much loyalty from him. We must ask ourselves, has God shown us favor in a thing, and have we yet turned away from him in our heart? The second thought of the Hebrew word perfect means a man's heart that is wholly centered on the Lord and his word.

It's a God-centered life that brings glory to God. So in 2nd Chronicles 16 9, when it says, For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro. He is searching here and there, and high and low, throughout the whole earth.

He's looking in Africa and India, England and America, Australia and China, and every other country around the globe, in a desperate search for a man he can show himself strong through, a man with a perfect heart toward God that is undivided and God-centered. Moody was that man, and look what God did with Moody. Whitefield was that man, and God shook two continents in revival under Whitefield.

God is on the lookout for men like that. When he finds that man, he will show himself strong in his behalf. He will show himself through that man.

When men encounter that man, they will see God all over that man. I'll never forget the story related by a pastor about my homiletical mentor, Dr. Stephen F. Olford. Dr. Olford was to speak at a Dallas church, and the pastor of that church asked his seminary intern to go pick up Stephen Olford at the airport.

The young man asked to see a photograph of Dr. Olford so he would be able to recognize him. No need for that, said the pastor to the young man. Just go to the airport terminal and wait for the passengers to come out and look for a man that has God all over him.

They'll be Stephen Olford. Sure enough, as the young man stood waiting, he saw a man with a briefcase in his coat over his arm, and it was apparent that this man was a man of God. Like the Shunammite woman said to her husband about the prophet Elisha, and she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God, which passes by us continually.

Our text in 2 Chronicles tells us that God is searching for a not a superman, but an ordinary man whose heart is right with God in an undivided walk with him. God is searching high and low for that man. He is continually on the lookout.

God is on the lookout for you, friend. His eyes are searching for you. When he finds you with a perfect heart toward him, there are no limitations to what God can do through you.

Will you be that man?