David was a young shepherd tending “a few sheep” — out of sight, unnoticed, and insignificant by all earthly perspective. The Hebrew word for “steadfast” also means “get ready or be prepared.” The attitude of prayer turns the key to wholehearted devotion, while the practice of worship opens the door, preparing us for godliness. The giant fell never to rise again! The shepherd’s stone hit the mark with supernatural accuracy and force. It was surrendering to God’s love and having this deep relationship with Him  that led to following His commands. And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever ” … A soft heart, quick to repent, always leads to wholeness and restoration.

Amen. Discover how to enjoy a successful career without sacrificing your soul! I thought about the work I needed to do that afternoon, too, and the deadline that loomed closer with each passing day.

How are you going to make yourself work on that paper?”

Part of our recognizing how to enjoy life more than ever before comes from our own journey of getting to know God through knowing and loving Him in the midst of deep hurt, loss and life encounters with Him. And David, in his wisdom, partners focus with willingness. David was a young shepherd tending “a few sheep” — out of sight, unnoticed, and insignificant by all earthly perspective. God has allowed us to relate to people with different wounds and issues.

What Arthur was saying was true. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.

Used with Permission. Get inspired and connect with other Christ-followers to reach the largest mission field: your workplace. David was passionate about having a beautiful temple built for the Lord. It’s easy to find ourselves living with half-hearted devotion to God. Every succeeding king and ruler would be measured by the devotion found in this godly man. /

The Hebrew word for “fully devoted” also  means “truth, virtue, uprightness and righteousness.” It is impossible to possess these attributes without saturating ourselves in the oil of divine truth, the Word of God. God is invested in the work of our hands, and he invites us to join him in the tilling and the weeding and dotting our “Is” and crossing our “Ts” because keeping focus on the details is just as important as achieving the goal. 3 Arthur’s vocation in this season of life includes long days and nights of study and preparation for the next day’s class. “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.Do not cast me from your presenceor take your Holy Spirit from me.”Psalm 51:10-11. Source via Flickr. Virtual Conference Nov. 7 & 14, 10 Key Points About Work in the Bible That Every Christian Should Know, Beyond Rank and Power: What Philemon Tells Us About Leadership. I’m wondering, Lord, when will you appear? Having been involved in pastoral ministry for over forty years, our life experiences are being used by God to be effective Ministers in the lives of Church Leaders, their staff members and especially Pastors. Click now to read more about Vocation Focus.
Because hidden faults and willful sins are common to us all, Jesus told us to pray, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” God lovingly reveals our hidden faults when we ask — either speaking through the Holy Spirit or mentors and trusted supporters He has positioned in our lives. “ And you my son, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts.

His eyes are watching for those He can strengthen, fill with unwavering courage, and give power to overcome all opposition, because that is what strongly support truly means. “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you;I thirst for you,my whole being longs for you,in a dry and parched landwhere there is no water.” Psalm 63:1-3. Thank you for wiring us the way you have and for inviting us to participate in this world with you through our work. Send a note to Deidra. There are days the work pales in comparison to the latest trend in social media or the plot twists in the newest novel or a bike ride on the trails beneath a harvest moon. Oddly enough, this same word for “strongly support” defines David’s “triumph, prevail, and defeat” over Goliath (1 Sam 17:50). Humility, a quickness to forgive, concern for the oppressed, and genuine love stood as witness to the softness of David’s heart. She has two adult children and lives in Nebraska with her husband. Who were these individuals? He is focused on the task at hand and willing to hole up in a dorm room on a sunny day to get it done. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™, Daily Reflection “I’m trying, Lord, but I could use some help!” I sure do! He told me he had plans to go back to his room and work on a paper he had due that week. May you demonstrate wholehearted Devotion to the Lord our God by following His rules and obeying His commandments. But how exactly did David foster and protect such an attitude? What qualifies such a description? “I’m trying my best to walk in the way of integrity,especially in my own home.But I need your help!I’m wondering, Lord, when will you appear?I despise what is eviland anything that moves my heart away from you.I will not let evil hold me in its grip.Every perverse and crooked way I have put away from my heart,for I will have nothing to do with the deeds of darkness.” Psalm 101:2-4 TPT. I appreciate the honesty with which David judges his own heart, however. Near the end of our meal, I asked Arthur what he planned to do with the rest of the afternoon. Have you ever let your giving to God slip so that you are not giving of your finances to the Lord? Learn how your comment data is processed. Bent low over his plate in the restaurant, Arthur used the side of his knife to load his fork with rice.

The Apostle Paul was one of those men in Scripture who had a whole-hearted devotion for God. The Bible says of Jehoshaphat, “His heart was devoted to the ways of the LORD…”2 Chronicles 17:6, The Hebrew words often translated as “devotion” have the sense of “being complete or full, whole and wholesome, innocent, and having integrity.” It also stands for “truth, virtue and uprightness.”. A quick glance at Psalm 51 reveals his all-to-real struggle with human weakness. Honest!

She earned her Bachelor's in Communication Arts and Science from Michigan State University.

Wholehearted devotion requires a commitment, a predetermined resolve to allow nothing and no one to separate us from our allegiance to God. “For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earththat He may strongly supportthose whose heart is completely His.”2 Chronicles 16:9. I sighed and said, “But it’s such a nice day. Do you find it challenging to be a Christian in a competitive workplace? Psalm 81 – Open Wide Your Mouth and I Will Fill It, God of Miracles – Final Chapter of Unlocking Legacy, Thankful for Friends — The Friendly and the Not-So-Friendly, Intimately Close!
27, No. Your email address will not be published. As God gazes upon our generation, may He find many, young and old, men and women, with wholehearted devotion to Him above all else. And so, when I asked Arthur how he planned to keep himself on task that Sunday afternoon, he shrugged, then smiled and told me, “You have no choice.” QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: David told his son, Solomon, “the Lord has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary. Click now to read more about Vocation Focus. The constant noise of the digital age requires us to work that much harder to remain focused on our individual passions and the good work to which God has called us. Encouraging you to hold firm to your faith in win-at-all-costs corporate environments, Tim Keller and Katherine Leary Alsdorf help you carry your beliefs from church to job, stay true to your values, make God-honoring choices, and more. PRAYER: Lord, you have given us all good things to enjoy, and we are sometimes overwhelmed by our choices. Even David’s son Solomon, the wisest of all men, was unable to emulate his father’s example, “…his heart was notfully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been.” 1 Kings 11:4.

All were exceptional yet ordinary people. Wherever we labor and whatever our hands find to do, let us do it with joy and with focus and with a spirit that seeks to honor you. Teach us to work for you with wholehearted devotion and a willing mind. How can one develop this attribute? He, as much as any other man, knew the pitfalls of walking wholly committed to God while living with human passions, desires and weaknesses. All rights reserved worldwide. Maintaining an undivided heart toward God also requires transparency and vulnerability. Wholehearted devotion recognizes God as the sufficient Source of all we need. If that’s the case for you, what types of work bring you joy as you seek the work God designed for you? The Pursuit of God: To See and Know God More, Mary Magdalene followed Christ with wholehearted devotion in her, Job was declared to be a “perfect and upright man, one that, Because of Hannah’s unwavering commitment and, Hezekiah’s self assessment reads, “I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion” (Is 38:3).

The compassion and openness God has released in us as a spiritual mother and father helps us listen without judging the people He brings our way. Required fields are marked *. Do you ever feel like David? David recognized God’s law as a perfect light shining upon his heart, revealing what would otherwise remain hidden even from Himself. By Deidra Riggs. David’s hope and anchor rested in his personal relationship with his Heavenly Father. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgressions.” Psalm 19:12,13. Distractions come in many forms, and no matter how holy our work may seem on some days, there are other days we’d rather not be bothered. Communion with God in prayer, combined with worship, prepares the hard ground of our hearts, tenderizing and mellowing it into fallow soil, yielded to God. “No,” I replied without hesitation, “I’m going to hang out here a little bit longer, you know. Forgive my hidden faults.Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. David was also well acquainted with the power of distraction and its ability to keep us from diligently pursuing the vocation God has entrusted to us.

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