Wholly Devoted to You

“Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in all hearts of those who love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.” – Patrick of Ireland (389-461)

When I think of devotion, I think of love. I think of couples who devote themselves to one another. I think of songs like the Everly Brothers:

Darlin’ you can count on me
Till the sun dries up the sea
Until then I’ll always be devoted to you

I’ll be yours through endless time
I’ll adore your charms sublime
Guess by now you know that I’m devoted to you

I’ll never hurt you, I’ll never lie
I’ll never be untrue
I’ll never give you reason to cry
I’d be unhappy if you were blue

Through the years my love will grow
Like a river it will flow
It can’t die because I’m so devoted to you

The definition of devotion is “1. love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person or activity; 2. Religious worship or observance.” As Christians, we would like to believe we are devoted to Jesus Christ. But I think many distractions draw us away from our God.

To what or whom are you devoted? Where is your devotion focused? Your spouse? Your children? Your home? Your pet? Your job? Your popularity? Your church? Your volunteerism? Your hobby? Your entertainment? Your sports team? Your future? Your past?

Let me offer five marks of believers who are devoted to Jesus Christ. First, devoted believers are devoted to Scripture. They hunger to know the mind and will of God. They want to know the life and words of Jesus. They long to experience the touch of the Holy Spirit. How can they know these things better? By reading the inspired word of God. Like a sports fan who reads all the stories about their teams and knows all the statistics, a devoted believer knows the Bible.

Secondly, devoted believers are devoted to prayer. You might notice their knees are a little raw from kneeling at bedside, praying to God. They offer prayers of adoration for who God is and thanksgiving for what God has done and is doing. They confess their shortcomings and ask for God to cleanse and heal them. They offer prayers of petition, laying their worries and concerns at the feet of Jesus and asking Him to carry their burdens and the burdens of their loved ones. And at times, they sit in silence, waiting for God to speak to them in a still, small voice. Like a devoted lover who simply wants to spend time with the object of their devotion, a devoted believer spends time in prayer with God.

Third, devoted believers are devoted to living more like Christ. Reading about God and spending time in prayer are not enough. They desire to grow in faith. Scripture and prayer should transform us into the likeness of our Lord. Like a devoted spouse begins to act, look and think like their partner, so a believer should begin to begin to become more and more like Jesus.

Fourth, devoted believers are devoted to sharing Jesus Christ with others. As a believer’s relationship with Christ grows and blossoms, so their enthusiasm for Him grows. They want to tell others about who Jesus is and how He is changing their lives in new, unexpected, amazingly positive ways. Like the devoted hobbyist becomes excited to share about their collection or activity or whatever, a devoted believer should be brimming with excitement to share their relationship with Jesus to others.

Fifth, devoted believers are devoted to joyful generosity. As a believer grows in the knowledge and grace of God and His overwhelming love and generosity in their lives, it is a natural byproduct to become more generous. They recognize that everything is a gift from God. And they recognize that nothing of this earth will last. What will last are the eternal souls of those around us. Like the devoted character in the movie “Pay It Forward,” a devoted believer recognizes the benefits of joyful generosity.

We are coming into the summer months. I love these months because life slows down. Summers are a time for me to read and reflect. I take the opportunity to refocus and refine my direction.

I long to be devoted to Jesus Christ. And so I commit myself to be devoted to Scripture, to prayer, to living more like Jesus, to sharing my faith, and to joyful generosity. I hope you will join me in devotion to our Lord. May Jesus Christ be the object of our devotion today, tomorrow, and always.

May God richly bless us, even as He blesses others through us!

In His Love & Service,

Lance