Since the very beginning of His Way, no matter what things happened, Friday night would be my wife and I’s sacred date night. It starts promptly at 5 p.m. and involves a nice dinner at home with a movie on the TV and popcorn—a lot of popcorn! It is our sacred refuge with a BIG WHEW after a long week.
The only thing that could spoil such a wonderful night is the process of choosing what we are going to watch. There is nothing that can spoil a date night quicker than indecision over where to eat, what to watch, where to go, etc. The perfect date night for us is when the decision of what to watch has already been determined. We especially like a long TV series where every date night is a new episode and no dramatic decision.
Decision
There is nothing that brings me more freedom than an already made decision. That is what I like about keeping a structured schedule. Every day is already filled with commitments. All I have to do is keep them. No new decisions!
The same goes with where I put things. I go through the hard work of selecting a place to put something once and then that is where it stays. That is where it will go back to, so I never have to look for it. When I arrive home my keys have a place, my cell phone a place, my shoes a place, etc. I never misplace things and never have to search for things because I maintain my commitment to their original location.
Devotion
The key word that begins the description of the early church and lives of early Christians is “devoted.”
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:42 (NIV)
Fundamentally Christians expressed their faith in Jesus Christ with devotion, commitment, and dedication.
When I was baptized into Christ, I decided I was going to follow Him. That decision informed, influenced, and even made most of my key decisions after that point. I have heard it said, “It is the one decision that decides all future decisions.”
One decision I made that day was that I was always going to attend the Christian assembly. That is not a decision I have to make each week; it is one that is already made. Sometimes, I just have to figure out how to keep it.
I do not have to decide if I am going to work or school each morning. Already decided.
I do not have to decide if I am going to take my pills each morning. Already decided.
I do not have to decide if I am going to brush my teeth. Already decided.
There is freedom to make undecided decisions when most decisions are already decided.
The blessing of a structured life frees us up to embrace the responsibility of bigger decisions.
Dwelling
In Psalms 15, the question is asked, “Who shall dwell on God’s holy hill?” The psalmist gives us a number of great attributes. But verse 4 has really caught my attention,
“One who keeps an oath even when it hurts and does not change their mind.” Psalms 15: 4 (NIV)
The key is total commitment. In Luke 9, Jesus is approached by three different people. The first says, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus’ reply is, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
The second is called by Jesus to follow Him. The reply he gets is, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” To which Jesus replies, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
Another offered to follow once he had said goodbye to his family, to which Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:57-62)
Jesus’ call is to keep your commitment. Discipleship requires full, unwavering devotion. A commitment that determines all other commitments.
While the call seems initially daunting, it is in practice relieving freedom to surrender all decisions to a Lord who determines them all.
“Commit your way to the LORD, trust in Him, and He will act.” – Psalms 37:5
“Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.” – Proverbs 16:3
Make the decision that resolves all decisions. Follow Him!
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