Introductory Thoughts
True loyalty never wavers without sound justification. The book of Revelation reveals that believers in Smyrna were going to face various difficulties such as imprisonment, trials, and perhaps even martyrdom. In the midst of these calamities, the Lord admonished them to be “faithful unto death.” God’s people have always had their loyalty to the Lord tested. If loyalty occurred naturally, everyone would exhibit loyalty. True loyalty is not something a believer possesses in the absence of adversity. Rather, adversity provides the means for loyalty to excel. In fact, it was in the face of the adversity of crucifixion that the Lord Jesus Christ exemplified His loyalty to both mankind and the Father. In doing so, He set forth an example that every believer ought to willingly follow and exemplify.
Devotional Thoughts
-
(For children): Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were told to bow to an idol or burn in the furnace. We know that the Lord did deliver them out of the furnace. However, they did not know for sure in advance that He would. They simply made up their minds to be faithful unto death whether or not God chose to deliver them (Daniel 3:14-29).
-
(For everyone): The Lord saw your need for salvation and did something about it. How might that be considered loyalty? How far was He willing to go to secure your salvation?
-
In what ways has the world tested your loyalty to the Lord? Did you remain loyal in spite of these tests? If not, would you say that you were probably never loyal in the first place?
Prayer Thoughts
- Thank the Lord for being loyal to the point of death.
- Ask the Lord to help you follow His example.
Song
LOYALTY TO CHRIST
