‘We have no right in Christian service to be
guided by our own interests and desires. In fact, this is one of the greatest
tests of our relationship with Jesus Christ. The delight of sacrifice is that I
lay down my life for my Friend, Jesus (see John 15:13). I don’t throw my life
away, but I willingly and deliberately lay it down for Him and His interests in
other people. And I do this for no cause or purpose of my own. […] Many of us
are interested only in our own goals […] But if we are totally surrendered to
Him [Jesus], we have no goals of our own to serve. Paul said that he knew how
to be a “doormat” without resenting it, because the motivation of his life was
devotion to Jesus. […] In fact, he [Paul] stated, “I could wish that I myself
were accursed from Christ for my brethren . . .” (Romans 9:3). Had Paul lost
his ability to reason? Not at all! For someone who is in love, this is not an
overstatement. And Paul was in love with Jesus Christ.’ CHAMBERS
I have heard it said and have said myself, that the
love of a woman can change a man like nothing else. When you are in love with another person,
your priorities change … how you spend your time and money. What you dwell on in your thoughts. Suddenly everything else dims in the light of
that relationship. That is a reflection
of how our lives should be in relation to Jesus. God hates adultery because it represents a
divided love. You cannot love two things
the most. You will love one, and in comparison,
you will hate the other. You may have an
affection for one (or many other things), but you will not have the commitment
to it.
Matthew
6:24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will
hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise
the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
God is a jealous God and wants all of your love
for himself … Taking a cue from a Beatles song … our love for God must be 8
days a week…. yes, He wants us to love
others, (Matthew
22:37-39) but in comparison to our love for Him, our love for others is a mere
affection. The truth is, our love for others
is but a reflection of our love for God.
I saw on Facebook that a couple, married for 38
years, had renewed their vows to each other.
That is understandably a great way to proclaim your commitment. But more than making your statement through a
ceremony … we should live our lives in such a way that there is no doubt where
our affections lie. And so it is with
our love for God. Is there any question
in other people’s minds where your affections are? Would they be surprised to learn that you are
a Christ follower? Maybe you should consider renewing your vows with God.
Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)
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