Skip to main content

Forsaken The Love?

       Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. (Revelation 2:4)

How often do you think that something other than God has any importance?

Ministry      Spouse        Ministry      Citizenship  Books          Self-improvement

Job              Children      Charity       Politics        TV shows   Food

Activities    Parents        Friends        Community Internet       Pets

Sports          Siblings       Neighbors   Reputation  Education    Something else

If asked, of course, you would say that God is most important, but if you examine your life, is there evidence? If you were put on trial, is there any evidence beyond your confession that God is a significant part of your life? And, if there is evidence that might lead others to that conclusion, is it merely a reality in your life, or is your reputation as a “good Christian” involved?

This is one of the problems we face. All of the things listed above and more are validly important. But if we are to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength, there is no room for anything else to take priority over God. But does that mean we’re to ignore responsibilities? Must we lose our jobs because we’re too busy in prayer or Bible study? What if prayer or Bible study becomes more important than God? Should we be obsessed with ensuring that nothing else comes between us and God? If we are, hasn’t that become more important than God? And anything can become more important than God.

I’ve written about Brother Lawrence’s solution to this before. When he realized that he was getting caught up in something, he confessed it to God, also confessed that he could not possibly do otherwise apart from God’s work in his life, and returned his focus to God. God only asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac once. I think we can expect God to bring it to our attention if we’re not attending Him as we should, but we need to have our minds made up so that when He does, we will turn from the other thing to Him. And if He doesn’t, we shouldn’t fret.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Right Road

          Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. (Psalm 139:7-12)                  For years before GPSes existed, I told people I wanted something in my car that would tell me, “Turn left in half a mile…turn left in a quarter mile…turn left in 500 feet… turn left in 100 feet…turn left now …You missed the turn, Dummy!” The problem isn’t necessarily that I get lost so much as I’m afraid I’ll get lost. I don’t want to have to spend my whole trip stressing over the next turn. I have the same problem with my spiritual journey.   
Post a Comment
Read more

Died as a Ransom

                 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. (Hebrews 9:15)                  This is something I’d really rather not think about but here it is and it’s important. I was reading in Bold Love about seeking revenge.  The author wrote of seeking justice when a supposed Christian does something sinful, harmful, and/or horrific, like sexually abusing a daughter.  And the thought that came to mind was of God asking if Jesus’ death was sufficient payment to me for the sin committed against me.                I have no specific longing for revenge, vengeance, or justice. I’m sure there are some lurking somewhere in my heart, but this wasn’t a response to one. It was more a question of principle. Jesus’ death was sufficient payment for to God for our sins.  That’s the standard Sunday Schoo
1 comment
Read more

Out of the Depths

  Out of the depths I have cried to You, Lord. Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the sound of my pleadings.   If You, Lord, were to keep account of guilty deeds, Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, so that You may be revered. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and I wait for His word. My soul waits in hope for the Lord more than the watchmen for the morning; Yes, more than the watchmen for the morning. Israel, wait for the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption. And He will redeem Israel from all his guilty deeds . (Psalm 130)             I like Mr. Peterson’s interpretation of the first line. “The bottom has fallen out of my life!” Of course, the problem for some of us is the fact that we’re drama queens, and/or we’re weak. Any time anything happens that disturbs our sense of mastery and control, the bottom has fallen out of our lives. If the past couple of days have taught me anything, they’ve t
1 comment
Read more