If I am honest with myself, I must admit that I do not love God with all my heart, with all my soul, all my mind, and all my strength (Mark 12:30).  I was thinking about that recently when I was sharing some things I was learning from scripture with several friends.  I’m pretty sure they see me as a much more spiritual person than I am because I do have a devoted time that I spend with scripture and in prayer in the mornings; however, I spend a lot of time with news, cozy mysteries, Facebook, and word games, watching TV or doing cross stitch throughout the day.  I don’t spend near as much time as I think I should be writing or doing housework (I tend to get extremely distracted when I’m supposed to be folding laundry or washing dishes).

With a legalistic religious background, finding the delicate balance between conviction that leads to repentance and cleansing, and condemnation that leads to discouragement and failure is a work only the Holy Spirit can accomplish.  Fact is, I am, by faith, in Jesus—and that means, “There is therefore no condemnation for those [me] who are in Christ Jesus.  For the law of the Spirit of life has set [me] free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1-2)

I also believe this scripture, “And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in [me] will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”  He began a good work in me, He is working in me, and He will complete the job He’s begun!

There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, and He is doing a good work in our lives—we are not perfect, and will not be until we see Jesus, yet “forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead [we] press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14)

Sounds like commitment.  Sounds like passion.  Sounds like devotion!

The dictionary gives these meanings to the word “devotion”:  profound dedication and earnest attachment.  Devote means to give up, appropriate, to concentrate on a particular pursuit, to set apart, and to dedicate—or to commit to destruction!

I think the words “devote” and “devotion” have lost some significance over time.  I can’t put my finger on why exactly—maybe it is because most Christians have “devotions”, a time set aside to pray (maybe), read the Bible, or a “devotional” which includes few verses or short passage with an accompanying, and equally short, commentary on the scripture; yet a passion for growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is either waning or missing altogether.  We are doing our Christian duty, and I know God blesses it (I am writing from experience); however, He has so much more for us—more intimacy, more passion, more usefulness, more grace, more fruitfulness, and more giftedness.  Just more……

I did a scriptural word study on “devote” and devotion; it was pretty interesting.  …and this is crucial:

One tactic of Satan and his demonic forces is to lead us away from sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 

The apostle Paul in the second letter to the church at Corinth writes, “But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:3)

Satan is cunning and we are no match for him without the presence and power of the Holy Spirit quickening our lives.  He disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14) and his intention is to distort the gospel and prevent “sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”

Often in the Old Testament God devoted people and nations to destruction because of their idolatry and the immoral and murderous practices embraced by many idolatrous cultures.

In the New Testament, we are cautioned about what we devote our attention to (myths, speculations, vain discussions – 1 Timothy 1:3-4, 6).  In his instruction to Timothy, we are also encouraged to “devote [ourselves] to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching” (1 Timothy 4:13).  Another aspect of our devotion: “those who [believe] in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works” (Titus 3:8).

And those who are devoted to God are both forgiving people and thankful people!

The Holy Spirit, through the apostle Paul in his letter to the Colossian church, gives us a word picture of what a life devoted to God looks like:

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.  And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.  And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.  And be thankful.  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.  And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3:12-17)

We cannot be devoted to God without being committed to His Word, without forgiving others, or without being thankful.  Praise God for the Holy Spirit who draws us into deeper intimacy with Jesus and with our Father!