To Whom are You Dedicated?

Hosea 9:10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to Baalpeor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved. To Whom are You Dedicated? August 27, 1994 was one of the greatest days of my life. It was on that day that my wife and I dedicated ourselves one to another in marriage. Marriage is one of the first creations of God. It is one of the primary foundations of civil society. It is one of the greatest delights of life. And it is the defining relationship of a family. There is something terribly wrong when someone sees marriage as restrictive or as a drudgery, and not as a delight. Drudgery is exactly what Israel's relationship had become with God Almighty. She had wearied of Him, and turned from Him. She wanted a human king instead of God's leadership. She'd gone to pagan gods that had been made by man instead of the God Who made man. She put her dependence on world powers instead of the Power Who made the world. The Bible says that Israel was like an unfaithful spouse. We all live dedicated and separated lives. A man in the NFL is dedicated to his sport and to disciplining his body to become strong and fast. A lady in grad school is dedicated to learning and getting a degree. A concert pianist is defined by the music. In every case, this dedication means separation. For an NFL player, there are some things he cannot eat if he's going to be the best. There are some things that a grad student doesn't have time to read. And a concert pianist doesn't have time to listen to just any kind of music. We all live dedicated lives. So, to whom are you dedicated, and from whom are you separated? Your dedication determines your separation. The thing or person to whom you're dedicated determines the thing or person from whom you are separated. My life ought to be dictated by my love for God, but if it is, then it will also be defined, to some extent by my hatred of that which is in opposition to my relationship with God. That's why the Bible tells us not to love the world. The world system is in opposition to God. Make no mistake, everyone lives a separated life. The only questions remaining are, "To whom are you dedicated, and from whom should you be separated?"      Enjoy more devotionals, sermon audio, and articles on our website!

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