My husband and I had the honor of dedicating our baby girl to the Lord this past weekend. We acknowledged that Sarah belongs to God first and foremost and out of His goodness He blessed us with her. It got us thinking what does a life dedicated to God look like? It seems like a simple question but I had to stop and think.
so, being the word geek that I am I looked up the definition:
Because I am a word geek I always pay special attention to the synonyms. In this case they helped answer our question.
A “life dedicated to God” looks like:
- Devotion
- Commitment/A Pledge
- Giving
- Surrendering
- Sacrifice
DEVOTION:
In order to dedicate something you must “devote (it) to a purpose”… in this case… God’s purpose. By dedicating Sarah, Dwight and I, gave up what we purpose for her life and trust God that His ways are higher. A life dedicated to God is being devoted to His purposes.
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)
But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth” (Exodus 9:16)
COMMITMENT/PLEDGE: It takes commitment in order for a person to live out a “life dedicated to God”. Not once, or twice, but daily saying to God… “I commit my ways to you!”
5 Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.Psalm 37:5-6
GIVING:
A “life dedicated to God” is one with open hands. Giving of their time for the advancement of the Kingdom. Giving of their resources so people can be touched by God. Giving of their gifts/talents to the body of Christ so that it can operate at it’s full potential.
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10
Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. Romans 12:4-8
SURRENDERING:
A “life dedicated to God” must operate in surrender. Surrender to God’s timing, His plan, and His will. This might mean letting go of things or relationships that distract from the devotion and commitment to God.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6
SACRIFICE:
A “life dedicated to God” will be no stranger to sacrifice. Scripture calls us to be a “living sacrifice” that is “holy and pleasing to God.” This might mean we sacrifice the comforts of life in order to be pleasing to God. If you are not spending time with God because you watch too much tv… lay it down and get rid of cable.
12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2
If you dedicate a song or book to someone it brings joy to the person it is dedicated to, right? When we dedicate our children or our lives to God… it brings God joy! And God is so good that in return …we get JOY too! In the long run… with eternity in mind… it isn’t that much of a sacrifice after all.
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD. Psalm 27:6