‘’May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit’’.
(Romans 15:13, ESV)
The man who is devoted to fishing knows that if he wants the joy of catching fish he must be willing to get up before the crack of dawn, brave the elements and be prepared to spend hours without catching anything. But he regards all this as worthwhile.
There is great joy in being devoted to Christ. We who believe in Him can expect a life of peace and happiness through Him. The Lord Jesus said, ‘’the thief only comes to steal and kill and destroy, I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” When we are devoted to Him our lives will be overflowing with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Lord Jesus Christ was so devoted to the Father’s will that He did not live to please himself but lived to carry out his Father’s will. No matter how challenging it was, or how painful or shameful like being put to death alongside criminals, He never gave up his assignment. He devoted himself wholeheartedly to the father’s will and fulfilled it. He triumphantly declared ‘’It is finished’’.
Christ devoted himself to the needs of those around him. He welcomed the outcasts, the despised like the tax collectors. His arms were opened to those that received him, those who responded to his invitation. The repentant were most welcome. He did not come to be served but to serve. He came to seek and to save those that were lost.
So what does it look like for me to be devoted to Christ? Devotion to the Lord requires me to have a Christ like attitude. How do I demonstrate this attitude? By being devoted to the well-being of others, even those I don’t agree with and by reaching out to the lost so that they may give glory to God for his mercies (Rom 15:9).
Do I want a life of happiness and peace? Then let me set my life aside to serve others, reach out to them, accept and respect them and love them with the love of Jesus. Is this a recipe for happiness to the unsaved? Certainly not! That is the reason they need those who know Christ to enlighten them.
Lord we pray that we may find happiness in bringing you glory and that we be a blessing to others. In Jesus name we pray Amen.
– Mike Parsons
