Calling to Commitment

No successful athlete has ever accomplished great goals and taken great strides in their sport without commitment. Having an attitude of laziness, lack of dedication or failing to put in effort to grow and change only leads to being stagnant. Without commitment, we stray far away from becoming the athlete we desire to be. Commitment pushes us forward, drives our decisions and urges our spirit to reach for something better. The story of Ruth and Naomi’s relationship is a beautiful example of commitment and reflects the commitment God makes to us.

Ruth was a committed wife to her husband, but when we died, she clung to her mother-in-law, Naomi. With her son gone and a widow herself, Naomi was left without anyone to care for her. Women in this time depended on their families to provide for them, and without a husband or a son left to take care of her, Naomi’s future was uncertain. Out of love, respect and dedication to God, Ruth vowed to be committed to her mother-in-law--to stay with her and to live life with her. Ruth’s life was fully committed to God; Ruth had pledged to follow Him, and in her devotion to God, she was led to care for Naomi. In coming alongside her mother-in-law, Naomi was well cared for, and Ruth was blessed by Naomi’s love for her. In their commitment to one another, the women uplifted each other, loved and cared for each other the way that God cares and loves us.

Without Ruth’s commitment to God, Naomi would have been left to fend for herself, Ruth would have never met her new husband and they would have missed out on the blessing of relationship. Nothing stopped Ruth’s commitment to God, not even the death of her husband.

Our dedication to Christ drives the way we live our lives. To have a deep relationship with our Heavenly Father, we must first be committed to Him. God is already fully committed to you; 24/7 He is loving you, leading you and listening to you. He never takes a rest day! Do not let anything prohibit your growing relationship with God--stay close and connected to Him. Do not leave and do not turn back--open your Bible and follow His Word!

You were specifically designed to live in relationship with your Creator. Daily commit yourself to God and strive to grow into the athlete He has called you to be. Commitment is always worth it, and your dedication to Christ will always lead to joy, blessing and growth with the One who will never stop leading you.