Devotion
Seeley Kinne

Devotion is the blending of vehement, arduous, passionate zeal, with love, abandonment, worship and adoration.  Devotion to Christ, of so rare dimensions, is the basis of the human state upon which intervention is bestowed.

“Divine favor” resting upon a life through intervention, is the sum of repentance, consecration, yieldedness and self-sacrifice; the immolation of natural ambitions, plans, hopes and personal activities not originating in God.  It calls for the presenting of all our faculties to God as a living sacrifice, and our becoming His bond slave.

Abdication of personal self-control in so full a degree, has been attained only by a few.  Once having passed through so straight a gate, the pastime of chasing life’s illusive phantom bubbles loses its charm.  The divine bestowal of true riches is so elaborate and abundant that he who thought all lost is amazed at the vastness of a newfound domain, and the riches of Christ, surpassing all previous apprehension.  “As having nothing, and yet possessing all things.”

Devotion means all that is implied in the other terms of sacrifice.  Consecration may be cold and legal.  Abandonment may come through pressure.  Yieldedness may follow severe chastening.  But devotion is a glad, joyous delight in yielding to the will of God - be it pain or pleasure, humbling or exalting.  It is the wealth of heart-love poured out at the Master’s feet.

So touched is the heart of the Lord by such zeal and devotion, that scarcely anything could be withheld.  Intervention that leads to “divine favor” resting on a devoted life is the very delight of God.  His nature is intensely responsive to those who seek Him above all others, and all things.