Unswerving Devotion

by Sands, A. P. | Category: The Disciple Life | Jun 1990

A young man was recently referred to as "a Christian athlete", that is, he was an athlete who professed to he a Christian. But all Christians are athletes

- or should be - for the scripture says, "let us run with patience the race that is set before us" (Heb. 12:1).

Motivation

Athletes, especially long distance runners, need many qualities including motivation, energy and endurance. Motivation is our present theme. King Hezekiah was a marvellous example for us, for it was said of him, "he held fast to the LORD and did not cease to follow Him ... and the LORD was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook" (2 Kings 18:6,7 NIV). Oh that such words could be said of us. When he was thirty-nine Hezekiah thought he was going to die, and reviewing his life, he could say in all sincerity to the Lord, "I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion" (2 Kings 20:3

NW). Yes, "wholehearted devotion" to the Lord, unswerving, never turning aside from following Him in loving response for all that He has done for us, that surely is needed first and foremost as we seek to "run the straight race". We admire this quality as we see it in the lives of fellow Christians who inspire us. May we not be too discouraged if we feel a certain lack of it in ourselves, but rather be encouraged as we further pursue our meditation.

The successful runner sets his mind on breaking the finishing tape; that is his goal and he stretches every nerve and muscle to accomplish that. Paul speaks of this in Christian experience:

stretching forward to the things that are before, I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:13,14).

So the Christian is not only motivated by present devotion to the Lord, but also by the certain and glorious prospect of meeting Christ, and hopefully receiving a wonderful prize from Him. It isn't selfishness to go in eagerly for such a prize if we are deeply moved and spurned on at the thought of the pleasure that will be His to give those marvellous rewards to all those who by their life-style say, "I love you Lord".

Unfailing Love

Individual experiences and responses to problems in discipleship vary enormously. Some people start the race with great enthusiasm then fade and falter later on. Some make very unpromising starts yet finish well, and others plod on steadily from the first and "keep right on to the end of the road". Some have turned aside and later been graciously restored to the track; sadly some have left the track1 never to return. What is the secret of running well? Surely the answer is LOVE.

"Love suffereth long ... beareth all things ... endureth all things. Love never faileth" (1 Cor. 13:4,7,8).

Such love is firstly love to the Lord, then love to others for His sake.

Looking unto Jesus

Our love to the Lord is deepened and strengthened as we intensify our gaze on Him, as the runner fixes his eye on the tape. That's why we are told

that as we are running we are to be:

looking unto Jesus the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross (Heb. 12:2).

Because of moral pollution it was vital for first century Christians to keep the gaze of faith and love firmly focussed on Christ. If the world of early Christians tended to pollution, what shall we say of ours today? Surely it's no better and its processes of depravity are far more numerous and sophisticated. So we constantly need to tear our eyes away from the corruption around and focus our minds and hearts on Christ: We can think of Him in glory now, looking down upon us and pleading for us, and we can also look to Him as our supreme Example, keeping faithfully to the track, in deep devotion to His father, and in wonderful, personal love for you and me.

It was a lonely path He trod,

From every human soul apart;

Known only to Himself and God

Was all the grief that filed His heart,

Yet from the track He turned not back

Till, where I lay in want and shame,

He found me. Blessed be His Name!

Surely, as we gaze upon our Lord, His unswerving devotion fills our hearts with admiration, love and gratitude; and we pledge that with His help we will go on steadfastly for Him and, most precious, toward Him.

The unswerving devotion we wish to encourage our hearts in is no vague mystical experience. We would suggest that it falls into two broad categories:

Personal and Collective

On the personal level, we learn that our devotion to the Lord is bound up with our trust in Him and our obedience to Him. These come through knowing Him and His will for us. Such knowledge develops primarily through communion with Him in daily Bible meditation and prayer. How vital that we keep these daily appointments with God even though at times we do not find it easy. Such communion is then to be translated into a way of living, in positive, faithful witness for Christ: In this way we learn to run the race in daily stages, knowing that perhaps today we shall finish the course and see Jesus face-to-face for the first time.

There can be no substitute for personal, devotional Christianity, but having said this, the New Testament does not cater for Christians "going it alone", like solitary joggers who are seen on many roads today. Nor does Scripture present a free and easy casual Christian fellowship. On the contrary, a clear track is marked out for disciples to run in parallel together; in which they are to continue in devotion and service for the Lord.

The starter's gun was fired, as it were, on the day of Pentecost when three thousand people joined in this race. The following words are familiar to many, but we stress them again because if we are sincerely seeking to be unswerving in our devotion, we shall heed them and seek to follow the

example set: It says of those who believed that they were baptized and added and

they continued stedastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers (Acts 2:42).

The activities referred to in this verse are collective and none can be neglected without swerving from the track (we are not of course referring to enforced absence or isolation). It was necessary for the writer to the Hebrew Christians to remind them of their collective responsibilities in these things:

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess ... Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the day approaching (Heb. 10:23, 25 NIV).

So the personal, devotional life is not complete without entering enthusiastically into the privileges and responsibilities of collective service in churches of God, and conversely, Christianity isn't simply a matter of going to church meetings.

Unswerving devotion demands togetherness in the confines of a clearly marked out track, and scriptural togetherness demands personal, unswerving devotion to Christ.

Oh, draw me, Savour, after Thee!

So shall I run and never tire;

With gracious words still comfort me,

Be Thou my hope, my sole desire,

Free me from every weight. Nor fear

Nor sin can come if Thou art near.

Sands, A. P. | Jun 1990
The Disciple Life