Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name.
—Psalm 86:11
When Jesus was asked, "What is the greatest commandment of all?" He said: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind" (Matthew 22: 37).
What did you devote yourself to this past week? Whatever activities consumed your time, your thoughts, and your energy are the things you are truly devoted to. And if you are devoted to anything other than God, you have a divided heart.
TOTAL DEVOTION, TOTAL LOVE—THAT IS WHAT GOD REQUIRES.
Jesus told the church of Ephesus: "I have this against you, that you have left your first love" (Revelation 2: 4). Their hearts were divided. Jesus gave the remedy for that when He said in the next verse: "Remember therefore from where you have fallen." Remember those days when you first discovered the glorious love of God in Jesus Christ. Next, Jesus said: "Repent." Turn around. Ask God to forgive you for the coldness you have allowed to come into the relationship. And then Jesus said: "Do the first works." Go back again to those things that you did when you were so in love with Him.
Remember, repent, repeat.
Then, as you come back into fellowship with Him, follow David's example: "I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart" (Psalm 86: 12).
Total, absolute devotion. God deserves nothing less.
Father, search our hearts and show us those areas of attraction that may have drawn us away from that total devotion we once had for You. Renew the fire and the passion within us.
In Jesus' name, amen.