Want to listen to this post instead of reading? Play the audio recording below.
Galatians 2:20 (NIV):
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
The verse above sets out clearly the truth that, as believers, the life we had before becoming a believer in Christ Jesus no longer exists. The new life we have now is to be lived by faith in Jesus. Faith in the only one who paid the price for our sins. The only one who took our place on the cross. The only one who, in obedience to the Father, paid the ultimate price with His life.
Romans 5:8 (NIV) states: But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
As believers, we should love God. We should be devoted to God. We should be committed to God. But what does this look like in our daily lives?
When we are devoted and fully committed to God, our heart will want nothing more than to do what nurtures a posture of devotion and commitment to God. For example, we spend lots of time praying and reading and meditating on God’s Word. We would ponder God’s goodness and God’s love. God would be our first priority because we would love no one or nothing more than we love God. Just to name a few.
Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) states: Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
We must know that the enemies of the believer – our flesh, the world, and the devil – all want the same thing. That is, to see believers turn away from God. Where our hearts no longer desire to do God’s Will. Where our affections, the deep longings of our heart, are no longer for God. Where we no longer live by faith in Christ Jesus. For this reason, we must do as Proverbs 4:23 instructs. We must guard our heart.
Guarding our heart is not something that happens without effort. For example, we have to be intentional about staying away from that which influences us to say, think about, or do things that do not please or glorify God.
Try as we might, we cannot be devoted and committed to God out of our own strength or wisdom. We need God’s help. And God’s help is available to us. We simply need to yield to the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can teach us how to have a heart that is devoted and committed to God. The Holy Spirit can teach us how to live, following in the footsteps of Jesus who was, in every way, perfectly devoted and perfectly committed to the Lord.
1 Kings 8:61 (NIV) states: And may your hearts be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.
Except where indicated, scripture references are from the American Standard Version (ASV), Darby Translation (DARBY), or King James Version (KJV) – all public domains.
