“O God, You are my God; EARLY will I seek You; My soul THIRSTS for You; My flesh LONGS for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your Power and Your glory. Because Your LOVINGKINDNESS is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus, I will bless You while I live; I will LIFT UP MY HANDS in Your name.” (Psalms 63:1-4)
One sign of a genuine believer is DEVOTION TO CHRIST. To be devoted means to CLING TO JESUS AND STEADFASTLY (firm in belief, determination, or adherence, LOYAL) PERSEVERE (continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty or with little or no prospect of success) WITH HIM. Out of love and gratitude, we express our dedication to Him through three things: a PASSION to OBEY, a SPIRIT OF HUMILITY, and a SERVANT’S HEART.
- OBEY: Although David lived imperfectly, his desire was TO DO what the Lord commanded. We see from Jesus’ words that obedience should be our HIGH PRIORITY as well—He said, “If you love Me, YOU WILL KEEP My commandments” (John 14:15).
- HUMILITY: Despite being anointed as king when he was a LOWLY SHEPHERD BOY, David never tried to take the throne while Saul was still in power. Instead, David humbly waited many years until the Lord gave it to him. Even as king, he remained humble, realizing that any greatness he had was due to God’s grace.
- SERVANT: Whether David was a lowly shepherd, a man running for his life, or a mighty king, the many psalms he wrote testify that he served the Lord with ALL HIS HEART.
Devotion isn’t passive but active.
WE MUST PRACTICE THE THINGS THAT PROVE OUR DEVOTION TO CHRIST.
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham