Mark 12:30 “And you will love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength: this is the first commandment.”
I’m sure that each of you reading these thoughts today has been in love, in some form or other. The command that is above all commands that God has given us, is to love Him. Hosea 6:6 in one translation states it this way. “I don’t want your sacrifices, I want your love. I don’t want your offerings, I want you to know me.” TLB. Matthew 6:33 summarizes the benefits associated with our putting God first in our lives. “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.”
In summary, here is what God says about the way it works… "I have created you to know Me and to love Me. If you will make our love relationship first in your life, I will provide everything for you!” Such an awesome deal for us… our response should be, “We love him, because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:19
The question then remains to be answered… “How do we love someone?”
When you love someone you want to be with them all the time. Everywhere they go you want to go with them and wherever you go you feel empty unless they go too!
The object of our love consumes our thoughts. We can’t get them off our minds. We have reminders, love letters and pictures hanging all over our home. Maybe their favorite perfume is still clinging ever so slightly on your shirt where they last hugged you. Somehow that shirt doesn’t make it to the laundry so soon.
We purposely arrange to spend time with them. Perhaps a quick, unexpected visit to their office, or a thirty minute drive to their apartment just to say good night. You have to remember those days. When I first met my wife, I spent enough money in gasoline taxes, just driving back and forth between Pasadena and Annapolis to repave Richie Highway.
We are intentional in communicating with them. We spend hours on the smallest things; favorite colors, foods and hobbies. We explore their dreams, goals, fears and strengths. We talk. We listen, and share each other’s hearts. When we first fall in love, we really display the art of listening, because we care what they think and we want to hear it again and again.
The relationship begins to develop and we put them first; their wants, needs, and desires are our first and foremost goals. Our needs and desires become secondary and just don’t seem so important anymore. It’s all about the one we love!
We think of them the first thought in the morning, and often go to sleep with their name the last word on our breath. Multiple times throughout the day, just the passing thought is enough to lift us out of the doldrums of the day and motivate us to finish the day strong.
When we love someone, we actually do the things they like to do. I don’t like chick flicks, but every once in a while, I’ll fight my way through one, just to pleasure my wife! It’s the little things!
We are liberal in our spending when we first meet the “One.” It doesn’t matter how much, we are willing to spend what it takes to capture their heart. We tell everyone we know about the new person in our lives. We describe them in poetic terms, full of romance and adventure. All of our conversations revolve around the one we have chosen to love.
By now I’m sure you have the picture. Go back and review everything about loving someone and maybe even add some of your own thoughts in the comment section.
The question is, “Do you love Jesus?” I know we used to, especially when we first met Him in all His radiant glory. Is it any wonder that we continue to struggle in the daily affairs of our lives? He said “IF we loved Him first, He would take care of everything!” Matthew 6:33
If we have lost our first love and are treating the relationship with him on a casual basis; hot and cold; taking Him for granted; ignoring the reason for our creation, relationship with Him, then here is what He wants you to know right now. Revelation 2:4-5 “Nevertheless I have somewhat against you, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the first works…”
Jesus is saying “GO BACK TO THE BASICS...THE THINGS YOU DID WHEN YOU FIRST FELL IN LOVE WITH ME. RECAPTURE THE LOVE…THE FIRST LOVE!” It’s a great day to rekindle your first love with Jesus…He’s waiting for you! Re-read the basics above and get started again!
The Love of Jesus to all of you!
I’m sure that each of you reading these thoughts today has been in love, in some form or other. The command that is above all commands that God has given us, is to love Him. Hosea 6:6 in one translation states it this way. “I don’t want your sacrifices, I want your love. I don’t want your offerings, I want you to know me.” TLB. Matthew 6:33 summarizes the benefits associated with our putting God first in our lives. “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.”
In summary, here is what God says about the way it works… "I have created you to know Me and to love Me. If you will make our love relationship first in your life, I will provide everything for you!” Such an awesome deal for us… our response should be, “We love him, because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:19
The question then remains to be answered… “How do we love someone?”
When you love someone you want to be with them all the time. Everywhere they go you want to go with them and wherever you go you feel empty unless they go too!
The object of our love consumes our thoughts. We can’t get them off our minds. We have reminders, love letters and pictures hanging all over our home. Maybe their favorite perfume is still clinging ever so slightly on your shirt where they last hugged you. Somehow that shirt doesn’t make it to the laundry so soon.
We purposely arrange to spend time with them. Perhaps a quick, unexpected visit to their office, or a thirty minute drive to their apartment just to say good night. You have to remember those days. When I first met my wife, I spent enough money in gasoline taxes, just driving back and forth between Pasadena and Annapolis to repave Richie Highway.
We are intentional in communicating with them. We spend hours on the smallest things; favorite colors, foods and hobbies. We explore their dreams, goals, fears and strengths. We talk. We listen, and share each other’s hearts. When we first fall in love, we really display the art of listening, because we care what they think and we want to hear it again and again.
The relationship begins to develop and we put them first; their wants, needs, and desires are our first and foremost goals. Our needs and desires become secondary and just don’t seem so important anymore. It’s all about the one we love!
We think of them the first thought in the morning, and often go to sleep with their name the last word on our breath. Multiple times throughout the day, just the passing thought is enough to lift us out of the doldrums of the day and motivate us to finish the day strong.
When we love someone, we actually do the things they like to do. I don’t like chick flicks, but every once in a while, I’ll fight my way through one, just to pleasure my wife! It’s the little things!
We are liberal in our spending when we first meet the “One.” It doesn’t matter how much, we are willing to spend what it takes to capture their heart. We tell everyone we know about the new person in our lives. We describe them in poetic terms, full of romance and adventure. All of our conversations revolve around the one we have chosen to love.
By now I’m sure you have the picture. Go back and review everything about loving someone and maybe even add some of your own thoughts in the comment section.
The question is, “Do you love Jesus?” I know we used to, especially when we first met Him in all His radiant glory. Is it any wonder that we continue to struggle in the daily affairs of our lives? He said “IF we loved Him first, He would take care of everything!” Matthew 6:33
If we have lost our first love and are treating the relationship with him on a casual basis; hot and cold; taking Him for granted; ignoring the reason for our creation, relationship with Him, then here is what He wants you to know right now. Revelation 2:4-5 “Nevertheless I have somewhat against you, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the first works…”
Jesus is saying “GO BACK TO THE BASICS...THE THINGS YOU DID WHEN YOU FIRST FELL IN LOVE WITH ME. RECAPTURE THE LOVE…THE FIRST LOVE!” It’s a great day to rekindle your first love with Jesus…He’s waiting for you! Re-read the basics above and get started again!
The Love of Jesus to all of you!
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