DEDICATION

Philippians 4:9—Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

The eyes reveal the heart and what passion they contain. Ron sits in the open craft oblivious to all but the task ahead of him. He stares at the opaque surface so intensely one would swear he sees what others cannot. His hands thread the squirming brandling across the warm metallic hook like some splendid surgeon. With the expert toss of a quarterback he casts his line precisely to the spot he hoped and waits . . . and waits. If the worm won’t deliver, he daps or skitters with a fly he has meticulously crafted. He is unfazed by failure. His arsenal of tricks runs deep from years of careful learning. If patience is a virtue, Ron is the waiting virtuoso. Neither mosquitoes, rain, or hunger will keep him from his task. He is a fisherman. If you want to catch fish do as he does.

· Pam is the queen of shopping. She finds bargains and buys with unmatched expertise.

· Monty’s mind never rests. He knows the talents of his players. His strategic grasp of the game and tactical counters to the moves of opposing coaches has made him a legend among those who love soccer.

· Karen rarely loses a case. She loves defending the helpless victim. The way she fashions words seems magical. Just ask the law students of Clairemont College.

Dedication is not some hidden exit we bypass on the highway of life. We all know what it means to be dedicated. Whether we are wise in that which we avidly pursue is another matter. Paul was so faithful in his dedication to Jesus Christ that he boldly exhorted the Christians in Philippi to live as he lived. The citizen believers in that prosperous Roman colony in Macedonia had a high affinity for the apostle who bore Roman citizenship yet zealously lived for a higher Kingdom. His modeled devotion to God enabled him to say, "Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death" (Php.1:20b).

To be a great fisherman I must make the necessary sacrifices to learn how to fish. If I want to know the Lord who loves me I must be willing to study and apply His Word, talk and listen to Him, and learn from those who already know Him well. There are no shortcuts with dedication. Selfless devotion to God begins when we consecrate our lives to Him. It continues as a joyful daily commitment to serve Him in thought and action. It has no ending, for the Father to Whom we are dedicated has no end.

Inspiration

God wants us to dedicate ourselves to Him with quiet, calm intelligence, with the deep fervent passion behind knowing what we are doing. Have we the self-dedication of that moral passion?—Oswald Chambers in God’s Workmanship