Loving Him Back
Psalms 16:8 (NKJV)
I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
Where does the Lord rank in your life? Notice that the placement of God’s closeness to you is not about His desire, but yours. Where is God set in your morning, in your day, in your week? It’s easy, especially in these days, to get distracted and busy with life. As a pastor of two churches, a guy with a family, and a man who just wants to get some stuff done, the ability for distraction is ever present. Not being distracted is actually quite a chore. That said, perhaps my greatest challenge is to keep myself with my God in close proximity.
That sounds bad, I know, and I don’t mean it from the standpoint that for some reason God is not enjoyable. What I mean is those things that call us away from Him are real and present and always seeking His place in our lives. Exodus 34:14 says, “for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God”. God is jealous for our affection, and yet it seems at times that the bulk of what He gets is when we need something from Him.
In the relatively short time that I have pastored I have seen it many times. People come to church as a last resort in their life. Maybe addiction, or a bad marriage, or sickness are plaguing them and they come hoping for relief. At church they are presented with various ways God has given us to heal. After they get their help, they turn from God. It’s, “Now that things are better I can return to my former life”. Interestingly, they lose sight of what Romans 8:12 says, “Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh”. We are indebted to God, yet even though that is the case, He still won’t force anyone to live for Him.
God loves us fervently and desires us unceasingly. We owe it to Him to live for Him, not just so we receive the help when we need it, but because we are grateful to a God who gave us everything He possibly could. Will you return God’s love by loving Him back? Will you set your affection on Him or allow it to simply return to things that don’t really matter? I know I am making it a practice to seek God’s face. The further I go, the more I desire His relationship and fellowship. God wants me and I want Him. He wants you, too, but what will you choose?
Deuteronomy 6:5 (NKJV)
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
Be Blessed,
Pastor Jeff
