Devoted

Devoted?  Does anyone special come to mind that you would describe as "devoted?"

I am blessed with a father who demonstrated devotion to his family throughout his life.  Through thick and thin, he stuck by us...always there to lend a helping hand, offer a word of encouragement or advice.  His devotion to his family extend beyond us kids...he faithfully stayed in touch with his own father and loved to visit with his brothers and sisters, traveling far and wide to spend time with them was pure joy to him and even better when they would come to visit him.  He wasn't one to lavish gifts but invested in the gift of time without restraint...nothing mattered more than spending time together.

While we may need to make some adjustments and improve on our level of devotion to our own families, our spiritual lives may also need some tweaking.

What does it really mean when we say someone is devoted?

A dictionary definition says this:  very loving or loyal; given over to the display, study, or discussion of.  

Thayer's Greek Lexicon offers these definitions of the Greek word proskartereo, the word used for devotion in 10 New Testament verses:

1) to adhere to one, be his adherent, to be devoted or constant to one
2) to be steadfastly attentive unto, to give unremitting care to a thing
3) to continue all the time in a place
4) to persevere and not to faint
5) to show one' s self courageous for
6) to be in constant readiness for one, wait on constantly 

Here are those 10 scripture verses, for your reading pleasure:

Mark 3:9: "...that a small ship should wait on him because of the multitude,"

Acts 1:14: "These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication,"

Acts 2:42: "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship,"

Acts 2:46: "And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple,"

Acts 6:4: "But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry…"

Acts 8:13: "also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered,"

Acts 10:7: "and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually;"

Romans 12:12: "in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;"

Romans 13:6: "for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing."

Colossians 4:2: " Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

As you read these definitions and the scriptures, would you say that your prayer life and walk with Christ would be described as devoted?

In the Battle Plan of Prayer Bible Study (p.16) we read this:

"Devotion involves committing to something consistently and frequently.  To be consistently devoted to prayer, we have to train ourselves in this practice.  It does not come naturally...we must train ourselves to be in constant communion with God."

Let's ask God to help us re-purpose our lives as ones devoted to prayer!