Devotion
- Apr 17
- 5 min read
“The question of whether atheism or godly devotion lodges in our soul is answered when we acknowledge the image of God in everyone we meet. We are to seek Christ in everyone, from the holiest of saints down to the most depraved souls…A person of peace is one devoted to God, committed to doing good. Unlike them, “The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death” (Psalm 37:32). This means if we are constantly watching others to find fault with them, we are doing what the Psalm says the wicked do. [In my mind, that is what many social media personalities and influencers do – watch their opponents to be able to jump on any little mistake they make. According to the Psalm, that is the work of the wicked. They have no intention of trying to find a way to peace with others.] When we remain faithful to Christ’s Gospel teachings, then we will look for the image of God in others and be people of peace. We may suffer for our choice, but we will be the children of God.” (Dynamis 12/26/2023, Fr. Ted Bobosh)
“Most English versions of Proverbs use the word “trust” to translate the idea of taking refuge in God…The Hebrew term suggests that we find our security in the Lord. The Septuagint (LXX) uses the Greek word meaning “to rely on”…Accordingly, “trusting” here means to depend on and put our confidence in the Lord. But Proverbs directs us to put our confidence in the Almighty “with all your heart” (Proverbs 3:5). The “heart” is the seat of our thoughts, feelings, morality, and conscience. Thus, the writer of Proverbs advises that our dependence on God should be without reservation. We should devote our thoughts, feelings, and desires, as well as our will to trusting in God.” (Fr. Basil)
“… “the highest state, for each person individually, is always the particular state to which that person is specifically called.” The crucial factor is not the form which devotion to God takes, but that obedient love toward God be at the heart of one’s life…” (Metropolitan Kallistos Ware, Fr. Philip LeMasters)
“In the rush of fast-moving days, it happens that even people who are very devoted to the Church can lose their connection with Christ. Church services, the sacraments and prayer can sometimes pall on both laity and clergy, because, as we know, people are receptive to everything new, being fickle in heart to what has long been familiar. Of course, in no case can we say this about everyone: there are people akin to the Apostle Peter, distinguished by an ardent disposition and a burning heart. Even having doubted something and cooled down to righteous deeds, they, by virtue of their character, quickly embark again on the right path, zealously searching for God in their souls, and feel out of place until they have found Him.” (Kira Kireyeva)
“We live in a time when many people water down and distort the Christian faith however it pleases them. Some do so in support of their favorite political or cultural agendas, while others simply want a little spirituality to help them find greater peace of mind or success in their daily lives, which do not differ at all from those of people who do not identify themselves as Christians…If we surrender to the popular distortions of Christian faith in our culture, we will set our sights so low to the point that we fit right in with the darkness that is all around us. We will then think that we are faithful Christians even as we hate our enemies, place our ultimate allegiance to the false gods of this world, and otherwise devote ourselves to the service of pride, power, and pleasure. Our Christian witness will then not be worthy of the name, and we will do more harm than good both to our neighbors and to our own souls.” (Fr. Philip LeMasters)
“This is what Christ means when He says that all the Law and the Prophets are contained in these two commands–He means that the Law and the Prophets all pointed to Him, to Christ, and to His divine-human nature! Devotion to Christ is therefore the simplest touchstone for a perfect and balanced life, and the fulfillment of the Old Law, the prophecies, and of human destiny.” (Timothy G. Patitsas)
“You can overcome depression and loneliness only when you learn to love others and to be totally devoted to them. It was, is and will always be so. Any psychologist can tell you dozens of stories of how people were healed from inner crises through their service to others. And, true, at the Last Judgment we will be asked how we loved our neighbors, not how our neighbors loved us!” (Sergei Komarov)
“Tangible piety can enslave us to mere forms, like avoiding unmarked graves. To trust in pious acts more than in God’s love, or in our responsibility to care for others, is a form of death…Such formalistic piety can easily become devoid of the Spirit of God, no matter how many acts of overt devotion we perform…May we ever be guided by our life-giving Savior so that piety never dominate our souls. Instead, let our devotional acts awaken us to God and His genuine love. Outward piety – acts done out of habit or conformity – loads “men with burdens hard to bear” (Lk 11:46). Slavish attention to our behavior separates us from the stirrings of the Holy Spirit. Our pious actions must be connected to God’s self-giving love, and above all to sharing His love with others in true joy, thankfulness, and delight.” (Dynamis 11/4/20, 11/1/2023)
“I have written time and again regarding the offering of thanks. It is at the very heart of the “priesthood of all believers,” an offering made with the lips, the heart, and every form of art. It is a source of almsgiving and every form of charity. It is said by one of the early fathers that “he who feeds the poor does a greater work than he who raises someone from the dead.” With that in mind, I would suggest that the offering of thanks is perhaps the most essential and great work of life. The trinity of beauty, goodness, and truth is best perceived through the lens of thanksgiving. It is at the center of noetic perception. It forms the greater part of the devotion that “lays up treasure in heaven” in the thankfulness of almsgiving.” (Father Stephen Freeman)
“Devotion is not an activity; it is an attitude toward God…if we would get wisdom and understanding, we should set aside our worldly attitudes and perspectives. We should give due worship to the Almighty and proper reverence to the Creator. Then with hearts that are emptied of worldly concerns and ambitions, we should pay heed to the Word of God and become acquainted with His will and ways. We should follow His teaching and obey His commandments. Then we will acquire the wisdom that God gives to those who devote themselves to learning from Him.” (Jerry Bridges, Fr. Basil)
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