DILIGENT HANDS IN DEVOTION (2)

“You shall bind them as a sign on YOUR HAND, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes” – Deuteronomy 6:8

The Word of God commands DILIGENT HANDS in DEVOTION at personal and collective levels: “You shall bind them as a sign on YOUR HAND, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes” (Deut.6:8). God demands that we bind His commandments as symbols on our hands and foreheads and write them on our doorframes. Literally and figuratively, we’re to diligently store them in our heart (v.6). Diligence transcends hard work; it includes responsibility and reliability. The diligent person can be relied on to complete a given task to the absolute best of his or her ability: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might” (Ecc.9:10a). The diligent person will make every effort to follow through on everything he or she starts. Diligence is required in interactions with others, but much more in our relationship with God.

We’ve given ample attention to Diligent Hands at Work. However, diligence not only relates to the workplace. It should apply in all areas of life, especially the Life of Faith – Devotional Life. God takes diligence seriously. Those who diligently seek Him are richly rewarded: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a REWARDER of those who DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM” (Heb.11:6). We attain spiritual fitness through consistent, diligent practices of scriptural devotions.  

Devotion refers to a consistent spiritual act, discipline, exercise, or practice, such as: prayer, quiet time, praise, worship, intercession, fasting, reading, study, memorization, meditation, recital or confession of God’s Word. Devotions necessarily demand dedicating substantial time and energy to a cause, activity, or enterprise. It infers steadfast adherence and faithfulness to an obligation to which one is bound by duty or pledge. Applying diligent hands is therefore fundamental to the notion of devotion, namely:

Prayer: “Pray without ceasing” (1The.5:17); “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving” (Col.4:2); "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints" (Eph.6:18).

Quiet Times: Jesus modelled diligence in daily devotion of personal Quiet Time. First, early in the morning: “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed” (Mk.1:35). Also, all-night vigils: “Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God” (Lk.6:12). David also observed morning devotion: “My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up” (Psa.5:3).

Praise: “Seven times a day I praise You, because of Your righteous judgments” (Psa.119:164). This was the testimony of David’s Devotion of Praise!

Worship and Intercession: “I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, LIFTING UP HOLY HANDS, without wrath and doubting” (1Tim.2:8).

Thanksgiving: “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 The.5:18);

Fasting: “But you, WHEN YOU FAST, anoint your head and wash your face” (Mt.6: 17). Not if, but when!

Bible Reading: “Till I come, give attention to READING, to exhortation, to doctrine” (1Tim.4:13).

Bible Study: “BE DILIGENT to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2Tim.2:15).

Bible Memorization: “Your word I have HIDDEN in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Psa.119:11). Jesus had Scripture memorized and He answered each of Satan’s temptations with a slash from the Word of truth (Mt.4:1-11).  

Meditation in and Confession of God’s Word: “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Jos.1:8); “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he MEDITATES DAY and NIGHT” (Psa.1:2).