Devotion check-up

After a long meeting, I sat down for lunch yesterday with a tall, good-looking guy, whom I’ll call John, to talk about his work as a missionary. As casually as we might discuss the weather, he told about his calling to a sensitive part of the world, about taking his wife and little children to live in a place where becoming a martyr was a daily possibility. His best friend was martyred there last year! John is not crazy. He is devoted, in love, to Christ and ready to die to take the Gospel to one of the places on earth where there are almost no professing Christians. I wish I could tell you more details, but to do so would jeopardize this man and his family.

While he talked about his mission, I could not stop the tears from welling my eyes as I thought about what it would mean to send my own son or daughter, my own grandchildren, to face death daily for the sake of Jesus. That man’s embrace of a high and holy calling made him a walking sermon, his life text the words of Jesus: “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?" (Matthew 16:24-26, NLT)

Don’t descend into false guilt over this story! John’s calling is not your calling, but the same devotion that leads him to serve with great joy in a difficult and dangerous place, should be ours. Disciple, what love is strongest for you; your love of Self, or your love of Jesus Christ? There is an old song that captures the truth about true devotion. It says, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim; in the light of His glory and grace.” We will never completely serve Him with joy and complete devotion until we are captivated by Him!

I asked John how he came to choose to go to that hard place. His answer was not about sacrifice or wrestling himself into submission. He told about hearing the Lord’s call, about being overwhelmed by the Spirit’s Presence in a way that made the calling irresistible!  My prayer (and may it be yours, too) is that the Lord will be able to capture my heart in that way. After experiencing that devotion check-up over Chinese food at a table with a man who loved Jesus with more than his words, I invited the Lord to take my life, to renew my love and devotion, to send me to my city with a magnificent obsession to serve in His kingdom. Care to join me in that prayer?

Heavenly Father, I love You.
I am so thankful for Your promise of life – abundant now and eternal by and by.
I confess that all kinds of things try to gain my attention.
Here, right now, I give myself to You, anew.


My hopes, my dreams, my stuff, my reputation, my future plans – Make them Yours!
Captivate me! Let me be so loved that loving You without reservation is irresistible.
Send me – across the street or to the ends of earth – and help me to gladly say,
“Yes,” to whatever You desire.
For Jesus’ sake. Amen

"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”  -Isaiah 6:8, NIV

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Give me one pure and holy passion,
Give me one magnificent obsession.
Jesus give me one glorious ambition for my life.
To know and follow hard after You.

To know and follow hard after You,
To grow as Your disciple in the truth.
This world is empty, pale, and poor,
Compared to knowing You my Lord.
Lead me on and I will run after You.

One Pure And Holy Passion

Altrogge, Mark
Word Music Group, Inc.
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