DEDICATION

It’s really something that word dedication. I sat down recently while playing FIFA 2012 to listen to a message which talked about excellence in ministry. Now you may ask ‘why would I want to learn that when I don’t have a ministry?’ the answer is in 2 Corinthians 5:19 where Paul tells us that God has given to us the ministry of reconciling men back to God. That is your ministry reconciling your family and friends back to God and for many Christians it extends beyond just them to a larger circle because Jesus himself commanded that we shine before all men(Matthew 5:16). So to be successful in this ministry you need dedication, dedication to obeying God’s word, to doing what is righteous and only, to influencing people’s lives positively, to being an agent of change and not just being one of them.

I must state that I’m guilty, I don’t think I am as dedicated as I can be but I keep trying because I aim at it because it’s what God wants from me.

I am reading the Screwtape letters, it’s a book written by C.S Lewis about a senior devil writing to a Junior devil and in it, the senior devil points something pivotal out that ‘the Enemy’s plan is to bring these beings called men to a state where they do his will without any trouble; a state of absolute dedication where doing his will has become a character so you ought to attack them with the mind-set that they shouldn’t be doing his bidding when they are not feeling like it after all the Enemy said willingly’ (paraphrased). He calls God the Enemy that is who He is to them at least.

Ever wonder why when you start as a Christian you are all fired up then somewhere down the road you lose the hotness, it’s because at that point God is asking for more from you. He’s being driving you all along and he now wants you to take control of the wheels (that’s always been his design, that we be in control within the boundaries of his instruction, remember Adam and Eve). It’s  that dedication He wants.

Dedication is a decision, a decision you make way before you are tempted or in a difficult situation. A decision to stick with what God wants you to do no matter what.

I’ve got two stories. One is of a man and his wife, the other is of a flight instructor and his pupil.

A man or woman married to each other don’t wake up one day and say hey, I don’t feel like I’m married to you today and I don’t see how I can live like that today so forgive me if I do anything contrary to our marriage vows today. They don’t do that because they are dedicated to each other, that’s what being dedicated is about, they made that decision a long time ago and whether they feel like it or not they stick to it because there are days when you will wish you weren’t a Christian when you wish you could take laws into your hands and do things your way. Dedication helps you stick with it.

The second story, a flight instructor and his pupil where flying a single engine airplane, like one of those planes back in the 40s. Suddenly in the middle of the flight the engine stops working, the pupil starts crying ‘what are we going to do?’ the instructor says ‘we are going to land the airplane’. Now the pilot is so dedicated to the airplane that it doesn’t matter what the condition of the plane is he will stick to landing the plane. That is dedication.

Notice that in these two examples, they both made the decision well ahead of time, when they took their marriage vows and when he decided to become a pilot. The same applies to you and me as Christians.

Our road is a rough one, everything in the world works against us (working against the principles of righteousness, holiness, justice and peace), they are happy when we succeed (because we become another success story they can brag about) but they do everything to make us not succeed because our success becomes a testimony against them that you the we don’t require dubious means to succeed. It’s never easy and it takes dedication to do what God’s purpose for us is.

Have you made the decision to read that Bible every day?

Have you made the decision to attend that church service all the time?

Have you made the decision to pray at a particular time?

Have you made the decision not to drink or smoke?

Have you made the decision never to borrow?

Have you made the decision to make God your anchor?

Have you made the decision to be holy and pure?

Have you made the decision to touch lives?

Whatever decision it is, it takes this kind of dedication.

My question to you and myself today is “have you made the decision to be dedicated to God and the ministry he has given you?” if you have congratulations, if you haven’t make that decision and talk to God about it. It is Him that grants the grace, strength and motivation to remain dedicated.

Thanks for reading.

Now to Him who is able to keep you from falling and able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think according to the power that works in us be glory forever. Amen.