Dedicated.
According to Merriam-Webster, this word is defined as 1.) being devoted to a cause, ideal, or purpose and/or 2.) given over to a particular purpose.
In other words, dedication involves the laying down of one’s life for the sake of something or someone else.
It’s to be single minded in loyalty, pure in devotion.
And personally, I believe we are all dedicated to something.
In fact, there’s a multitude of things we could be dedicated to — good or bad.
Relationships.
Sports.
Jobs.
Diet.
Causes.
Addictions.
Etc.
But make no mistake, there is no dedication without the sacrifice of self.
In order for me to devote myself to something, I have to give all of me.
The currency of dedication is death.
And there’s not many people that embody the essence and cost of dedication like Anna the prophetess.
The bible tells us that Anna was widowed seven years after her marriage and that from that time on until the age of 84, she served the Lord day and night with fastings and prayers and never left the temple (see Luke 2:37).
In other words, Anna only wanted to be where the presence of God was found.
She had completely dedicated her life to loving the Lord by ministering to Him.
She could have been angry with the Lord that her husband had died so young and so soon into their marriage.
She could have allowed the frustration and disappointment of a circumstance trump her dedication, but, instead, she chose to devote her life to serving Him.
Hers wasn’t a public ministry. Rather, it was done from the heart in private, but it caught the attention of the Lord nonetheless.
As a result, she was privileged to see the salvation of Israel… the very Son of God… Jesus Christ.
The only way we get to experience in our lives what His death paid and the only way we get to see Him is through total devotion… absolute dedication… complete surrender.
It’s the pure in heart that see the Lord (see Matthew 5:8).
If we want to see more, we have to give more.
Dedication (being wholly devoted and surrendered to God) sees salvation and experiences His glory.
I think there are times when we dedicate ourselves or come to the Lord just enough to get our needs met.
Perhaps we ask the Lord to do certain things for us or to bless certain things.
And then we are often left wondering why we aren’t seeing or experiencing more of what Jesus paid for in our lives.
Peace eludes us.
Joy seems distant.
Freedom is a faint whisper.
And it’s all because we aren’t dedicated. We haven’t died. We haven’t denied themselves.
We want the right amount of Jesus that enables us to stay alive.
We want to go to heaven, but we don’t want to die now.
We want Him to be there when it all goes south, but we don’t want to honor Him when it all goes right.
We want His hand, but we don't want to touch His heart.
Personally, I can’t think of a better or more important thing to do right now than to lay our life down before Him with prayer and fasting.
Now is the time of consecration.
Now is the time of dedication.
Now is the time of preparation.
There is no record of Anna merely requesting the Lord to do this or that in her life. She was purely devoted to serving Him through a selfless lifestyle.
Because of this, she was able to see the fulfillment of a promise that was hundreds of years in the making… she got to behold the Word made flesh. She bore witness to the salvation of God. She experienced what her heart longed to witness.
If we are wanting to experience more of the salvation of God and be filled with His Spirit, we must surrender our entire being to Him.
What’s dedicated to the Lord can be filled with the glory of the Lord.
It’s time to be fully devoted, totally dedicated, and completely surrendered.
- Brian Connolly, Faith Like Birds Ministries
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