Be Dedicated

In June of 2023, the Denver Nuggets won the first National Basketball Association championship in franchise history. Denver lost only four games in their four rounds, including a sweep over the Los Angeles Lakers, en route to the title.

The dedication to work, sweat and sacrifice to become the best is incredibly high. Those of us who watch them only see the gameplay. There’s also practice, workouts, proper diet, rest, travel and offseason training. A focused determination brings that level of success.

This challenges us with two questions: To what are we that dedicated? Are we dedicated to our Lord that much?

In 1 Kings, King Solomon was dedicating the brand-new temple. As he prayed over the nation of Israel, he charged them to commit to the Lord: “Be wholeheartedly devoted to the LORD our God to walk in his statutes and to keep his commands…” (1 Kings 8:61). The term “wholeheartedly devoted” is based on the same Hebrew word as “shalom,” which means peace, complete and whole. Our devotion to the Lord must be with our whole person – mind, body and spirit.

As an athlete or a coach, it’s OK to pursue the championship. Competition can teach us so much, and winning is just fun! It’s one of the reasons we play sports. But, if that is the biggest pursuit of our lives, we are missing something crucially important. That could have a negative impact on us and those we hope to impact. Seek Him first, wholly and completely.