By: Justin Dillenschneider, Director of Student Life
Week of October 4th, 2021
Dedication can be defined as a strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work. Dedication to a cause is something that makes up the greatest stories and the most inspiring songs, but it is not a trait that we naturally come by. Sin causes our hearts and minds to constantly waffle between doing what we know is right and choosing to take the easy way out. Our desire to rule over our own lives and “follow our heart” will lead to a manic pace to acquire more wealth and power and status. Dedication comes from a consistent discipline of our hearts and our minds, but the desire to do so often is lacking. Sometimes dedication is simply choosing to be obedient to the commands of God even when it is far easier not to. When we are tempted to turn to mania or fickleness, the accountability of fellow brothers and sisters in Christ is a crucial tool of the work of the Holy Spirit to guide us back to His will.
Continue contemplating dedication by looking at this week’s scripture reading from
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 CSB:
“24 Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize. 25 Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable crown. 26 So I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air. 27 Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”
We want to encourage you to have a conversation this week about the virtue of dedication. Consider these discussion prompts together:
- What tempts you to resort to mania or obsession? Where do you see mania taking hold in your life?
- Where have you seen people fall into fickleness? Where are you tempted to do so?
- What are some ways you see Christ correcting fickleness or obsession in Scripture? What are some ways you see him responding to dedication?
- How do we see the apostles and the early church modeling dedication to following Christ?
Hymn to Sing Together: Come Thou Fount