“Let your heart therefore be wholly devoted to the LORD our God, to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments, as it is this day.” 1 Kings 8:61
As I was reading my Bible yesterday morning, this particular verse spoke to my heart . . . specifically the phrase “wholly devoted”. I pulled out our dictionary and looked at the definitions of these words and found that:
Devoted means to be: Solemnly set apart or dedicated; consecrated
Devote means: To give up wholly; to direct the attention wholly or chiefly
Wholly means: 1) Entirely; completely; perfectly 2) Totally; in all parts or kinds
How convicting the above verse and the definition of the words therein are! Our lives should have this one purpose: to be completely given to loving and obeying our great and holy God and through this, to bring glory and praise to His name . . . in all things having a life consecrated to Him for His use.
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:58
*All definitions taken from Noah Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language
*Upon further study, the phrase “wholly devoted” was found to be the NASB’s translation in this particular verse of the Hebrew word ‘shalem’ (Strongs 8003) which means full, complete, whole, perfect. This word in the KJV and ASV is translated as: “perfect” in 1 Kings 8:61. In essence, it is to be perfect and complete with the Lord, blameless. This defining serves to deepen and broaden the implications meant in “wholly devoted”.
-Posted by Sarah
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