Devotional on Devotion.
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Introduction
Introduction
In 1826, the British author Thomas Carlyle married Jane Welsh, who also was an accomplished writer. She dedicated herself to his success and served him wholeheartedly.
Because of a stomach ailment and a nervous disorder, he had a rather ornery temperament. So she made special meals for him and tried to keep the house as quiet as possible so he could do his writing.
Thomas didn’t often recognize Jane’s helpful spirit nor did he spend much time with her. However, he wrote this about her to his mother: “I may say in my heart that she . . . loves me with a devotedness which is a mystery to me how I have ever deserved. She . . . looks with such soft cheerfulness into my gloomy countenance, that new hope passed into me every time I met her eye.”
We also have someone who loves us with a devotion, that it is a mystery we don’t deserve.
I see 2 major lessons we can learn from this husband:
The husband was so focused on his own work he did not recognize the devotion of his wife to him and so he spent so little time with her.
We also can be so focused on our own work that we are not recognizing the devoted work and small voice of God so we are not spending the time we should with Him.
We also can only testify
The husband really only testified about his wife’s devotion.
We also can only testify
As pastors and leaders, our jobs require us to testify about God’s devotion, and faithfulness… and so our natural tendency is to miss out on the Mary moments in life of sitting at Jesus feet.
Today I want to share on God’s devotion to us that we would be encouraged to enjoy His love daily, moment by moment, and to be exhorted to spend quality time with Him.
As:
And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Today I want to share
Pray
A Highlight of God’s Devotion To US
A Highlight of God’s Devotion To US
Eph 3:17
And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
I have a list of verses we could go through but for the sake of time we will just examine
1 But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. 3 For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
To keep this short I will only show 5 things in the text that show His devotion to us
He created/formed us (v.1)
Through scripture and science we can see the detail in God’s creation.
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
If you have ever done a work that is very detailed you will know that a serious devotion is required.
You
God of course is very capable of just snapping his finger and making us but thats not what we read instead we get verses like
10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
by the way that GK word for masterpiece does not speak of the body as a whole but towards each individual.
If you are His masterpiece how can we compare each other?
He redeemed us (v.1)
He redeemed us (v.1)
the NT takes it further in and by saying that He loved us while were sinners.
We could spend a large amount of time thinking about all that Jesus did to redeem us.
He has chosen you & you are His (v.1)
He has chosen you & you are His (v.1)
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
John Chrysostom (a bishop in Constantinople around 380-400 AD) said “So great is the distance between creature and Creator” - with how unworthy we are, He has chosen us to love.
So great is the distance between creature and Creator
Of course, it is out of His devotion that He chooses us.
Chrysostom:
M. J. Edwards, ed., Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999), 111.
He is with us in the difficult times (v.2)
drives it home
5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
It takes a true and devoted friend to help when we are hurting or in trials.
God is that true and devoted friend.
Most of the rich and powerful don’t care about the hurting and trials of others.
But the most rich and power of the universe is so devoted to you that He is always there.
He paid the ransom/costs for our sins (v.3)
Egypt is a picture of sin to the New Testament Christian.
We owed death for our sins, but Jesus died in our place.
He died for our sins so that we don’t have to die for our sins
how amazingly devoted is God to give up all that He has to only to gain you...
We know
However in my terrible sinful state I think well that is amazing devotion to me then but what about now?
He has given us a plan - Jeremiah 29:11
He has given us a plan - Jeremiah 29:11
He gives us a new start all the time - Lam 3:23
He gives us abundant life -
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.
He helps us
Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
He prays for us & intercedes for us (, :5)
So as Paul said in we are to be rooted and grounded in the love of Christ.
or as Jude said in “Keep yourselves in the love of God . . .”
Conclusion
Conclusion
because if we were to look back to our lives now after millions of years living with Christ.
All of our current worries and cares will not matter.
But will matter is your devotion to Christ.
Was I devoted in difficult times, was I devoted in the good times.
It is when we are completely devoted to God that our prayers will go from God bless my work to God how can I bless your work?
So like the husband who had his wife blessing his work, but should have been blessing his wife.
Today lets bless God’s work.