What does it mean to be committed to God?
Matthew 4:19-20Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him.”
Luke 14:26-28“If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?”
Commitment to God requires a whole-hearted decision—a true act of the will. Commitment to following Jesus can be costly. To follow him you might have to leave other attractive things behind. You may not have to leave behind your livelihood like the disciples did, but to be truly committed, you need to be ready to follow where God leads. There is no halfway commitment to Jesus. The cross you carry and the cost you incur may include separation from those who don’t agree with you (even family members), persecution for your faith, or other difficulties. Jesus doesn’t promise to make life easy; instead, he promises to make life fulfilling and worthwhile because by following him, you will be doing exactly what he calls you to do to build his kingdom.
Exodus 24:3All the people answered with one voice, “We will do everything the Lord has commanded.”
John 17:4“I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.”
Being committed to God means a resolve to try your best to obey all of God’s Word in all areas of your life. As a human being with a sinful nature, you will never be able to achieve this goal in this life (then you’d be perfect), but that should not stop you from trying to do your best.
Matthew 10:32-33“Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.”
Commitment to God means not hiding your faith but instead acknowledging openly who you are and what you believe.
Psalm 37:5-6Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.
Proverbs 3:5-6Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
Commitment to God means that you must trust him to lead you and do what is best for you.
Joshua 24:14“So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped. . . . Serve the Lord alone.”
Matthew 6:24“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”
Being committed to God means deciding to make God first in your life, worshiping him alone.
Daniel 3:14-18Nebuchadnezzar said . . . “I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace.” . . . Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “. . . If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. . . . But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
Commitment is being willing to accept the sometimes painful consequences of obedience to God. The three Hebrew men believed in God and knew he could save them from death in the blazing furnace, but they also knew that no matter what might happen, their faith rested secure. When you are committed to God, there will always be those committed to opposing you and all you stand for. Commitment means trusting God no matter what.
Romans 12:1-2I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice. . . . let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Commitment is more than intellectual agreement; it involves a sacrificial giving of your whole self.
1 Chronicles 29:5“Who will follow my example and give offerings to the Lord today?”
Proverbs 3:9Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce.
Being committed to God means supporting God’s work with your time, talent, and treasure.
Amos 5:24Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living.
Romans 6:13Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.
Being committed to God means living a lifestyle of holiness and integrity while doing good, not harm, to others and seeking justice for the oppressed.
