Oh How I Love Jesus - How Do I Love Jesus?

My Utmost For His Highest

“To maintain this friendship and faithfulness to the Bridegroom [i.e. Jesus], we have to be more careful to have the moral and vital relationship to Him above everything else, including obedience. Sometimes there is nothing to obey and our only task is to maintain a vital connection with Jesus Christ, seeing that nothing interferes with it. Only occasionally is it a matter of obedience. At those times when a crisis arises, we have to find out what God’s will is. Yet most of our life is not spent in trying to be consciously obedient, but in maintaining this relationship— being the “friend of the bridegroom.” Christian work can actually be a means of diverting a person’s focus away from Jesus Christ. Instead of being friends “of the bridegroom,” we may become amateur providences of God to someone else, working against Him while we use His weapons.” CHAMBERS

Jesus made the statement … "If you love Me, keep My commandments.’ (John 14:15) He also said "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. (John 15:9-12)

When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, He said there are actually two, ‘Love God with everything that I am and [then] love others’ [my contraction of the verses].  (Matthew 22:37-39)

So often we use Jesus like we do our driver’s license.  We get our license and put it in our pocket.  We have to use it from time to time as proof of our identity, but most of the time is stays safely tucked away in our wallet.  Jesus is saying that our relationship with Him must be the starting point for everything else in our life.  If that relationship is not right, no amount of ‘good’ works .. or right attitudes will matter.  That is what Chambers is referring to when he says that Christian work can divert us because we substitute works for relationship.  I can do many things for my wife, but the single most important thing is to love her and spend time with her.  It’s like the guy who, when asked why he doesn’t ever tell his wife he loves her.  His response “I told her that when we got married and it hasn’t changed.”  Telling someone, telling the Lord, you love them is important but showing that love through relationship [not just doing] is even more important. 

Spend time with the Lord this week … Give Him the priority that He deserves.  As a side note, if you will check that driver’s license, you will see there is no expiration date! 

Let your light shine …

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)