1 Kings Chapter 8: Verse 61 (NIV)
And may your hearts be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.
Israel had a history of commitment issues. The people often started with the best of intentions but got distracted and often didn’t keep the things they had promised. What Solomon told the people in this verse is actually a very lovely thing to pray for, either for ourselves, or for our friends and family. If we say we are committed to something, one of the Cambridge dictionary definitions says that this means, “to express an opinion or to make a decision that you tell people about”. Sometimes it does help to verbalise a course of action that we intend to carry out. By doing so, it can help us to stick at it when we might be tempted to give up. We know that if we are only half-hearted in committing to something, the chances are we will give up when the going gets tough.
That’s not always easy but I think that’s why it’s a great thing to ask for when we pray – the strength and dedication to be obedient to God, no matter what. And it’s a lovely benediction to pray over others, just as Solomon did here.
Dear Lord,
I ask for the wisdom and strength to be fully committed to Your ways for Your glory and praise. I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.