A Heart Devoted to God

I have started to study a new book, well new to me...Elizabeth George's "A Woman After God's Own Heart". The first chapter is entitled "A Heart Devoted to God"....these are my thoughts on the chapter.

"For we walk by faith, not by sight" 2 Corinthians 5:7

These words are on the wall in my living room, a constant reminder of who is in control. So I ask myself...what motivates my "walk" through life? Am I motivated by worldly thoughts rather than thoughts of faith? Everyone goes through "down" times, I am currently in the middle of one that seems to stretch on and on. But what I realized just yesterday, is that it is when I turn my thoughts to the world that I end up in a world of trouble! Something as simple as not listening to Christian music or reading steamy romance novels can be enough to knock me off God's path for me. I am by no means saying that these things are wrong for everyone, but for me, they tend to open the door to living worldly, rather than godly. I notice changes in my language, changes in my attitude, changes in the way I treat my family and friends. Then I stop reading my Bible and studying His word....and that really leaves me in the middle of the ocean with no compass and no guide.

But God has given me grace! He has opened His arms and welcomed me like the prodigal son. All He asks is that I repent and change my ways....and I love Him for that! Every day we are faced with choices, and one wrong choice can lead to many more. The story of Mary & Martha preparing for a visit from Jesus reminds me to always choose the most important thing. Luke 10:42 says "But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her." Martha chastised Mary for ceasing her preparations and housework to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to him teach. But Jesus showed Martha that Mary made the best choice, choosing to immerse herself in God's word and the teaching of His Son.

So how do I do this in my life? How do I change my heart to be a "heart devoted to God"?

Choose God's ways at every opportunity.

"In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths". Proverbs 3:6

God makes a promise here that if we stop and acknowledge Him at every turn in life, in every decision, before every conversation, He will direct our path and lead us in the right direction. How wonderful to know that my words, decisions, thoughts, and choices will be in the right direction as long as I look to God for guidance!

"Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised." Proverbs 31:30

Reverence for God is valued above beauty and charm. The world will tell us to seek these things, beauty, money, fame....but God admonishes us to seek Him and fear Him and we will be valued above rubies!

Commit yourself to God Daily.

True commitment to God is not a single act...it is a daily renewal of our love for Him. It is easy to stray one day at a time, as it happens, it doesn't seem like a big deal...but over time we find ourselves lost at sea. But God can guide us back to His chosen path for us. Nineteenth-century devotional writer, Andrew Murray, said "God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him." In a society that wants to constantly pass responsibility on to someone else, a society full of waivers, disclaimers, pre-nuptial agreements, etc....God will take responsibility for your life, if you only yield it to Him!

So to daily commit to God, start each day with a prayer, committing your day to His service. Betty Stam was a missionary in China who prayed daily:

"Lord, I give up all my own plans and purposes, all my own desires and hopes, and accept Thy will for my life. I give myself, my time, my all, utterly to Thee to be Thine forever. Fill me and seal me with Thy Holy Spirit. Use me as Thou wilt, send me where Thou wilt, work out Thy whole will at any cost , now and forever."

She prayed this prayer every day including the last day of her life when she and her husband were abducted and executed leaving behind their 3-month old baby in a mud hut on China Island.

Cultivate a hot heart.

"I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth". Revelation 3:15-16

God does not want us to be cold-hearted: unemotional, unaware, unconscious. Nor does He desire us to be lukewarm: indifferent, apathetic. He wants us to be on fire for Him; passionate, excited, full of emotion. Let your fire be seen daily, not just at church or with friends. Let the world know that you have a fiery passion for God!

Lord, I pray that I will be committed to You. That I will devote my life and myself wholly to Your service. That I will renew my devotion daily. I pray that I will seek Your guidance in all decisions in my life. Lord, I desire a heart on fire for You, a heart devoted to You in all ways. -Amen-