Committed! It’s not a word we hear very much anymore.
When I was a young girl, to hear someone was “committed”
meant they were dragged off to a mental institution
against their will. Television’s cops and robbers shows
introduced me to another meaning; “the bad guy committed
a crime and was committed to jail”.

I apologize to those whose first language is not English.
The word commit is just one more example of an English
word with many different meanings. The dictionary
defines commit as:

1. Bound or obligated, as under a pledge to a
particular cause, action, or attitude
2. Associated in an exclusive sexual relationship
3. To entrust, esp. for safekeeping
4. Confinement to a mental institution or
hospital
5. An action done

Lest I make this confusion another excuse for being
uncommitted, I will move on.

Committed Soul
As a young woman, the word committed took on a new
meaning. In Christian circles, young people of the early
1970’s talked about being “Committed to Christ” and
being “Whole-hearted in their commitment to God.” (1
Kings 8:61) Making a personal commitment to God as a
young person, then and now, takes courage, evaluation,
repentance and determination. Young men (and women)
are commended for their commitment to follow the will
of God through out Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.

A few years later the term was used to emphasize
commitment as our obligation to attend all the meetings
of the body/the church. ( Hebrews 10:25) Our commitment
was judged by our attendance; lending some false
security for those with “perfect attendance”. As often
happens when we over use or limit the use of a word, the
true meaning and heart behind it gets lost.
Set aside preconceived ideas and emotions and let God define
commitment to us again. Commitment and even obligation
are not bad words.

Committed Heart
Now-a-days the most familiar use of the word commitment
is in reference to engagement and marriage. To be
“afraid of making a commitment” is becoming the norm.
No doubt with so many broken homes and single parent
households, commitment seems scary and almost a fairy
tale. I am sure my young boyfriend, Roger, experienced a
bit of fear as he approached asking me to marry him. I
already committed to God to only marry a man committed
to Him ... so Roger did not need to worry. He got a yes
answer from me and an “I do” commitment 39 years ago
today. Because our whole hearted commitment is first to
God, all other commitments can be made without fear.
(Matthew 6:33)

Committed Strength
Sins I committed. Wow! There is another use of the word
commit. I scanned Bible Gateway for the word, “commit”,
and it brought up many verses as “to commit a sinful
act”. For example, regarding Abijah King of Judah;