When I begin study on a subject, it usually begins with curiosity about a specific subject or topic in Scripture. Curiosity generates questions which then leads all different directions and sometimes down a rabbit hole. The end product (an article or blog post) is seldom where I thought I was headed when I started.
This week, I realized that the rabbit hole of study that I found myself in wasn’t a mental accident, but rather a topic that hits deeply and I don’t feel qualified to write about it. These quests are often my spirit wrestling out my faith and my relationship with Christ. Is it fair to publish rambling thoughts if I have no idea where it’s leading?
This is your courtesy head’s up that I am not entirely sure what I am talking about.
What is a Life of Devotion?
This week’s quest began when I tried to identify the elements of weekend church activity that is most essential to the Christian life no matter what flavor of Christianity you practice. What Christian practices are meaningful? What practices support my faith in God and help me to live the kind of spiritual life that I want to live?
As I began to dig into Scripture, I landed on the word “devote”. Is this that for which my spirit is searching? Am I trying to decipher what a life of devotion is and if I am living it?
A cursory internet search on devotion will turn up thousands of articles on having a “devotional” time with God where you read, meditate, pray. You will also find many advertisements for “devotional” books and websites. This is not what I am looking for.
Biblical Devotion
In Scripture, to devote something to God meant that you made a conscious choice to give that item or person to the Lord for His service. In the Old Testament, first born sons were given to the Lord (Lev 27:24) and anything else that had been devoted to the Lord became “most holy” in the offering. Ezra devoted himself to prayer and the study of God’s Word (Ez 7:10). Nehemiah devoted himself to rebuilding the walls around Jerusalem (Neh 5:16).
Any part of our lives can be devoted to the Lord; money, time, talent, strength, day to day living. It is a conscious choice of our heart and mind to dedicate, give to, set aside a part of our ourselves in worship of God. More importantly, devoting something to the Lord means an outpouring of ardent, selfless affection to the One receiving the devotion.
In the New Testament, devotion is seen in the lives of people. The Greek word proskartereo carries the meaning of persisting obstinately or being constantly diligent. Anna lived her life in the temple, praying and praising God continuously ( Luke 2:38). I often think of the Roman Centurion who built a Jewish synagogue because he was a devotee (Luke 7:5). The first believers devoted themselves to prayer, communion, and the teachings of the apostles (Acts 2:42). The apostles devoted themselves to the preaching of the Gospel.
Jesus taught that we must choose where we give our devotion (Matthew 6:24). Basically, we can’t give our devotion, a deliberate and focused affection and attention, to two things at once. You can only be devoted to one thing at a time or they compete for attention and neither receives your full devotion.
Paul told the Romans that believers should be devoted to one another in brotherly love (Romans 12:10). The Bible is full of stories of devout people living life in service of God. Early Christian history reveals many stories of people living devoted lives to Christ. In difficult times and suffering, people made a willful choice to give their lives because of love and affection for the Savior who had done so much for them.
What Does It All Mean?
I think I am trying to find what it means for me to live a life devoted to Christ. I don’t want to be religious. I’m not looking for a new ism to join; Protestantism, Pentecostalism, Calvinism, etc. As someone else famously said, isms are schisms. The superficial preferences that people use to express faith don’t matter much.
I’m trying to live a life of devotion, a life where I’ve deliberately chosen to set aside times of the week, behaviors, possessions, talents and abilities to serve Christ.
Since I am a deep thinking, poetic type who routinely forgets what day of the week it is, I need structure and routine. Because I enjoy solitude, I need to be in a tribe of people who see value in my desire to worship and welcome me, offer me fellowship. My leadership skills and desire to help others needs a place to be of service. These aren’t things I selfishly collect for myself, things I consume out of greed. These are things that would be most helpful to me in living a life of devotion to Christ.
I have a feeling that there is more to come on this subject. The Spirit is working out something in my spirit.
How do you live a life of devotion to Christ? What is meaningful for you?
Thanks for falling down the rabbit hole with me.
But nothing that a man irrevocably devotes to God from what belongs to him, whether human or animal or family land, may be either sold or bought back. Everything devoted is holy to the highest degree; it’s God’s inalienable property. Lev 27:28
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