Our love for our Savior, the God-man Christ Jesus--must be the preeminent love of our life. Not prominent--preeminent. Yes, if we don't love Him more deeply then our family and friends, we will not begin to love them as deeply and unconditionally as we should--as we must. If we do not love Him more deeply then we love our calling, our calling will become duty, and you know how long someone can do that until duty becomes a weary burden and not a powerful act of love.
To judge His love for us by our circumstances is to despise the horrible physical and incomprehensible spiritual suffering He endured on Calvary because of His willing love for us. "By His wounds we are healed." Because of His deep love and concern for us He has sent the Spirit to indwell us, to live inside of us as our prayer warrior, guide, instructor, and strength--and He is our security, our unwavering confidence and assurance that at death "so shall we ever be with the Lord."
His love for us is our victory. The vastness of the universe cannot separate us from His love. Eternity beyond time cannot separate us from His love. Though we battle against supernatural powers active in the world, they cannot separate us from His love--the Spirit's groaning prayers for us and the sword that He wields on our behalf are infinitely more powerful than the enemy. No sorrow or disappointment or loss or flat-on-our-face failure can separate us from His love, Death cannot separate us from His love--it brings us into the very presence of His love, face-to face with Christ Our Savior.
May our love for Him dominate our every thought and action. May nothing that I do or say be an act of spiritual adultery in pursuit of other loves that I falsely claim are greater than His love for me. May the world and our tendency to love its things be incapable of destroying our contentment with His love and provision for us both spiritually and physically. May we love others as deeply as He has loved us. May we hide in the Cleft of the Rock. May we abide moment-by-moment under the shadow of His protecting wings. May we rest in His inescapable, all-love-excelling love for us. May He be the preeminent Love of Our Life.
To judge His love for us by our circumstances is to despise the horrible physical and incomprehensible spiritual suffering He endured on Calvary because of His willing love for us. "By His wounds we are healed." Because of His deep love and concern for us He has sent the Spirit to indwell us, to live inside of us as our prayer warrior, guide, instructor, and strength--and He is our security, our unwavering confidence and assurance that at death "so shall we ever be with the Lord."
His love for us is our victory. The vastness of the universe cannot separate us from His love. Eternity beyond time cannot separate us from His love. Though we battle against supernatural powers active in the world, they cannot separate us from His love--the Spirit's groaning prayers for us and the sword that He wields on our behalf are infinitely more powerful than the enemy. No sorrow or disappointment or loss or flat-on-our-face failure can separate us from His love, Death cannot separate us from His love--it brings us into the very presence of His love, face-to face with Christ Our Savior.
May our love for Him dominate our every thought and action. May nothing that I do or say be an act of spiritual adultery in pursuit of other loves that I falsely claim are greater than His love for me. May the world and our tendency to love its things be incapable of destroying our contentment with His love and provision for us both spiritually and physically. May we love others as deeply as He has loved us. May we hide in the Cleft of the Rock. May we abide moment-by-moment under the shadow of His protecting wings. May we rest in His inescapable, all-love-excelling love for us. May He be the preeminent Love of Our Life.
"The love of God, how rich and pure; how measureless and strong! It shall forever more endure--the saints' and angels' song."
"If you love Me, keep My commandments."
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