Devotion
Being a teacher, you know I have to give you the definition.Devotion: love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity, or cause. A religious worship or observance. The plural of it would be devotions: prayers or religious observances.
When we are speaking of devotion in the sense of being devoted to God, we are speaking of love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for the Creator of the universe. Someone just spending some time in reading an online "Devo" isn't being devoted to God. When I think of devotion, of Mary washing the feet of Jesus with her hair. It didn't matter all that was going on around her, what matter was serving her master in an intimate way. I think of Cornelius, who prayed daily, gave alms, all without the Holy Ghost. He desired to serve the Lord to the best of his ability, this level of devotion, prompted the Lord to send someone his way to bring him truth. I think of Hannah, who prayed in the temple for a child. She was so deeply moved by this need that Eli thought she was drunk. She then promised that her son would be a Nazarite all the days of his live. There are so many more biblical examples. So many so you may be thinking how could she not bring up... and why not...Devotion is serving God to the best of your ability all the days of your life. It means to put God first in your life. It means laying aside worldly pleasures to serve Him.
I don't think I really understood this in the past. I thought that soul-winning, living for God, and church participation was enough. Is that a level of devotion? Yes, most definitely that is! But God desires a deeper level of devotion. He desires to have all of our hearts, not just what is left over after work. Here it comes girls, you knew it was coming, single ladies, this means us.
I know, I know, I know, we are busy too! I work full time as a teacher, run a bus route, and help with youth. We are busy. But isn't our main purpose to utter devotion to Him? How can we be devoted to someone we don't know? Someone we don't spend time with? I am not getting on to you, but I am just sharing questions that I have asked myself, and being transparent about excuses I have made.
I met someone a few years ago, who was sharing with me how they read the bible all the was through 2 times a year. I was utterly ashamed, because I hadn't done it one time. They then shared that during lunch they got away and read their bible and prayed. I had to check myself... was I really devoted?
Since then, I can say that my level of devotion has greatly increased. I spend time daily with the Lord. I have trained myself to get up earlier to ensure that I have time to read and pray. I have started an on campus prayer group, that meets Mondays at 7 am to pray for our school. I believe that God is going to open a door with these ladies!
Recently, I was telling my pastor how sometimes I don't make it to the church to pray. I was really down on myself. I asked him if he could talk to the pastor of the church in the city where I work, and ask that on the days I can't make it to the church, if I could pray in their prayer room. Of course my pastor was supportive. This has helped me so much! I will slip over there on lunch, after work when I have meetings, and I get to touch God in a Holy Ghost filled environment.
Becoming devoted has taught me so much. Honestly, it has changed my outlook on being single. It is such a blessing to be able to spend time with Him. In this time I get to be a handmaiden of the Lord. Ready to answer His call, like Samuel, at any time. But it is teaching me to be a good wife. If i have my devotion to the Lord in order, it won't be a struggle when I get married to spend time in prayer or bible reading. If you work on being devoted now, your walk with God will be that much stronger when you are married. Obviously, don't become devoted, in hopes He sends you husband. Do it out of your love, loyalty and enthusiasm to serve Him.
