Serve him whole-heartedly
Just fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. Look at what great things he has done for you! ~ 1 Samuel 12:24 (CEB)
He shows mercy to everyone,
from one generation to the next,
who honors him as God. ~ Luke 1:50 (CEB)
KEY IDEA:
The Lord is especially kind to those who whole-heartedly serve him.
PRAYER:
Lord, you are worthy of all honor, recognition, and whole-hearted service. I know, though,
that my worship and service to you is often half-hearted. Yet, you are still kind to me. You have done a lot for me.
And I really do want to serve you better. Help me to do that. I want to be a part of the unbroken generational chain that lives to honor you -- and only you. Amen.
TRANSLATIONS
ABP = Authorized Boydston Paraphrase — my own freestyle biblical adaptation — somewhere between paraphrase, commentary, and sermon
CEB = Common English Bible (©2011, the Common English Bible)
CEV = Contemporary English Version (©1995, American Bible Society)
MSG = The Message (©1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson)
NIRV = New International Reader's Version (©1996, 1998, Biblica)
NIV = New International Version (©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011, Biblica)
NLT = New Living Translation (©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, Tyndale House Foundation)
NRSVue = New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (© 2021 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.) NTE = New Testament for Everyone (©2011 Nicolas Thomas Wright.)
REB = Revised English Bible (© 1989 Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press) TCEB = The Casual English Bible (© Stephen M. Miller)