What does it mean to serve God with wholehearted devotion? Is this something we can attain or even work toward? Read on for more thoughts…
In 1 Chronicles 28:9, David exhorts his son Solomon to “know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind.” (ESV) In 1 Chronicles 29:19, David prays that God would grant Solomon “a whole heart that he may keep [God’s] commands…” (ESV) The Bible tells us in 1 Kings 11:4, “[Solomon’s] heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been.” (NIV) Solomon ends up giving us an example of not being wholehearted. But David is one example of someone who was. There are two other people in the Old Testament scripture to whom this expression is applied. In Deuteronomy 1:36, Moses says of Caleb, “…he followed the LORD wholeheartedly.” (NIV). And in 2 Kings 20:3 (NIV), Hezekiah asks God to “Remember, LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion…” What can we learn about wholehearted devotion to God from these three men?
The first key to being wholehearted is apparent in the stories of all three. All three display a strong confidence and trust in God. When faced with big problems, they trusted that God was bigger than their problems and looked to HIM for the help they needed. You might say, they knew who they were and whose they were. When the LORD proclaimed HIMSELF to Moses in Exodus 34:6-7 (NIV), HE used these words, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet HE does not leave the guilty unpunished…” As we walk through life, and especially as we face problems, we will remain wholeheartedly devoted to God when we know who HE is and that HE has redeemed us through the blood of Jesus and declared us HIS through the waters of our Baptism. Knowing is the first key to being wholehearted. Do you need to be reminded who God is or what HE has done in the past so that you can have the confidence to trust HIM completely in your current circumstances? What part of God’s character do you need to be reminded of in 2025? Knowing God is the foundation for following HIM wholeheartedly.
A second key to being wholehearted is especially evident in David’s story. This key has to do with how we handle our sins, mistakes, and failures. A wholehearted follower of God owns up to sins and mistakes with repentance and takes steps to grow. Our redemption is complete, but our sanctification is an ongoing work in progress. Philippians 1:6 says, “HE who began a good work in you, will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (ESV) Until the day Jesus returns or HE takes us to HIMSELF, we will continue to learn and grow. HIS Spirit continues to work to cultivate HIS fruit in our lives. What do you need the Holy Spirit to cultivate more of in you in 2025? What do you need HIM to prune out of you in 2025?
If you need someone to walk with you through your current season, to point you back to the truth of who God is, or to support, encourage, and hold you accountable in the areas you are growing in, the members of the Texas District Care and Coaching Team are here for you! You can contact one of them through the email address on this webpage.