Who Has Your Devotion?
If I ask you the question, “Who has your devotion?” what would your answer be? As a Christian, the answer to this question should be easy. You don’t even have to think deeply and hard.
Unless you have some other things or people in mind that you are devoted to.
I am reminded of the song “Hopelessly Devoted to You” by Olivia Newton-John. In this song, the woman who was left brokenhearted by the man couldn’t get over him. Her mind is telling her to forget him, but her heart is telling her to hold on and remain true and loyal to him.
But first, what is devotion, and what does it mean to be devoted to somebody or something?
Devotion and Devoted
Vocabulary Dot Com defines devotion as a commitment or dedication to some purpose or feelings of ardent love. As far as religion is concerned, devotion is a religious zeal that drives one to willingly serve God. To this extent, devotion can become cultic and idolatrous.
Thus, to be devoted means to be extremely loyal and loving to someone or something. It means being focused on that particular thing or person almost exclusively.
Devotion Equals Love
Our devotion as Christians should be first and foremost to God. Our Lord Jesus commanded us “to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength” (Mark 12:30).
Mark adds strength but this quote is from Deuteronomy 6:4-5. The use of these various terms, heart, soul, mind, and strength is not meant to delineate distinct human faculties. Rather, it is to underscore the completeness of the kind of love that is called for.
But what is love and what does it look like today? Is it just a feeling that can be lost? Is it just an affirmation that can be later rejected? No, love is a commitment despite all circumstances.
In other words, love is a form of worship and devotion to the One exalted above everything else. And that is God! Only God deserves that position as Exodus 20:3 says.
The Proper Object of Devotion
Did you know we could be devoted to almost anything? We can make idols out of anything. That makes us sinners before a Holy God. All of us have at some point made choices contrary to God’s Will.
The phrase, “before Me” (Exodus 20:3) is the most appropriate expression in the light of the next few verses. All false gods stand in opposition to the One true God and the worship of them is incomparable with the worship of Yahweh.
Yet the better question is whether we all individually have repented and devoted our lives to living biblically. By the way, a biblical life is a holy life as 1 Peter 1:14-15 says.
Living a Holy Life
A holy life is a life devoted to living according to the truth. A sincere unbeliever knows nothing in this world and gives ultimate purpose, meaning, or hope as Ecclesiastes 1:2 says.
Holiness essentially defines the Christian’s new nature and conduct in contrast with his/her pre-salvation lifestyle. The reason for practicing a holy manner of living is that Christians are associated with the holy God. Thus, they must treat Him and His Word with respect and reverence.
Just a quick note; to be holy in the Lord does not mean what the world says. It’s not about going to church every Sunday and practicing all the rituals or keeping traditions that aren’t even biblical.
Living a holy life means not doing what the world does. That’s why Paul said in Romans 12:2 that followers of Christ should no longer conform to the patterns of this world. Take note that Christians are no longer citizens of this world but of heaven.
Conclusion
Who has your devotion? Your spouse or partner in life? Is it your kids and family? Perhaps your career or business?
There is nothing wrong with being extremely loving and loyal to those mentioned. But our devotion must be first and foremost to God. This is why the first and greatest commandment is loving God with all that we are. And the second is loving our fellowmen.
This just goes to show that we cannot truly love ourselves and others without loving God first.
God wants our devotion, and He deserves it because of who He is: our Saviour, God, and King!
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Recommended Resource:
Devoted to God by Sinclair B. Ferguson
Christians are transformed by the renewing of their minds. They understand that in large measure how they think about the gospel will determine how they will live for God’s glory.
They learn to allow the word of God to do its own work, informing and influencing the way they think in order to shape the way they live.
In a series of Scripture-enriched chapters, Sinclair B. Ferguson’s Devoted to God works out this principle in detail. It provides what he describes as ‘blueprints for sanctification’ an orderly exposition of central New Testament passages on holiness.
Devoted to God thus builds a strong and reliable structural framework for practical Christian living. It stresses the foundational importance of fundamental issues such as union with Christ, the rhythms of spiritual growth, the reality of spiritual conflict, and the role of God’s law.
Here is a fresh approach to an always relevant subject, and a working manual to which the Christian can turn again and again for biblical instruction and spiritual direction.
2 Replies to “Who Has Your Devotion?”
I try so hard to love God first. I speak to him all the time in my mind and follow him always.
But when I try to love others as he said to, it always comes back to me feeling hurt by those I love. I don’t doubt God’s plan for me. I heard his voice one night at a time when I didn’t think I could live anymore, facing false judgment and being charged and put on probation for a crime I didn’t even commit.
But that night I was hopeless and I stabbed my bible, which I still have with a mark on it to this day. I laid down in tears after cutting my wrist open hoping to die, jabbed my blade into the book and threw it, and yelled at God if he was even with me.
I wasn’t asking him, I was yelling at him. I laid back, bleeding from my wrists, and heard the Simplist thing, I could tell it was not my thoughts, was not my inner voice and I heard, simply, “yes Casey”. I jumped from my bed and felt more frightened, more so than ever in my life.
I never heard that voice again and most won’t ever believe me and look at me like I must have been high, but when I heard those words, my wrist was completely dried off the wet blood that was just covering them and I cried all night begging forgiveness.
A girl from my hometown wanted to be with me, but I told her no, cuz she was underage and I was 22 at the time. She was 15. She was angry and went and told her friends and even her family that I slept with her. The police in my town said they know I was innocent, they knew me since I was just a kid too, and my lawyer told me the same sad fact, that I should plead for probation and say we did sleep together.
It’s because as a young girl, they’ll believe her, and not just that, but the judge and the district attorney on my case were also younger women closer to my age group, and if I tried to take it to trial, I couldn’t win.
Depressed and young, not knowing what to do I did that, that night and heard him call to me, and when my blood seemed to dry away like I never cut my wrist, I knew he would be there for me. I accepted probation and now have to register as an offender for life.
I’ve obtained many jobs, relationships, friendships, and homes, and now 26 years old, I still have nothing. I’m in a Houston TX shelter, broke, dirty, homeless, and falling behind my fines, fees, and requirements of my probation. But every day I get up Faithful and just try to do whatever I can to show love to God and the people in need. If I have a dollar, I’ll half-water with another homeless guy or whatever I can possibly spare.
The entire world is against me now and has been for some time. Three years of what another would call hell on earth, but I see God coming and I speak to him every minute in my mind. I don’t attend church much anymore and have no friends and only little to no family support.
I’m not asking you for anything. Just want you to know I found you. I don’t even know where it is your church is but God told me to search for this site and to tell you to not worry about those who don’t hear you and the word you try to gift them.
Remember that your soul is not bound to a world that is all-consuming, it cannot be destroyed, only lost, and you need to stay faithful because I promise your soul still sits with God. You can reach out to me if you’d like, I’ll answer if I can.
My phone’s paid till February 1st, and storage and this group home shelter I’m staying in as I lost it all one more time, as I have more than I can count in three years. My number is (346) 252-2242, and you can call me Casey.
Hi Casey,
I am so sorry to hear about your story. But God is faithful and has you under His watch. So, please don’t give up no matter how difficult things are.
By the way, I already forwarded your message to Michael, the author of this post. He’ll be getting back to you as soon as possible.
God bless!