BBD 03.30.21 Pt 2 Loving God More (Classic)
Posted by: theburningbushdevotional <theburningbushdevotional@...>
Classic from 2002
The Burning Bush Devotional
30 March 2021
(During
this Holy Week leading Jesus to and through the cross and to the glorious
Resurrection Day - I am sending a series of devotionals about Loving God More.
There is no better time than this to focus on our relationship with our Lord
and grow in our love for Him.)
Pt 2 Loving God More
You shall
love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all
your mind. This is the first and great commandment. - Matthew 22:37-38.
But seek
first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be
added to you. - Matthew 6:33.
At an
evangelism conference I once heard a preacher talking about a wedding. The
couple had a most elaborate wedding and reception. They looked to be so happy.
Finally the time came for them to leave and the husband escorted his new bride
to their car, opened the door helping her in. He then kissed his wife and said
that he hoped she would have a good honeymoon and would see her again someday.
Now, of course the bride was shocked and began to cry and shout about it
wouldn’t be a marriage unless they lived together and spent time together. Of
course, it wouldn’t be a true marriage unless they did spend time with each
other.
In the
traditional wedding ceremony, the minister will say something like this: “you must promise to love her, to honor and cherish her,
and leaving (or forsaking) all others, cleave only to her and be to her in all
things the true and faithful husband so long as you both shall live. Do you so
promise?” Now the
correct answer is not “I’ll think
about it” or “sometimes I will” or “I’ll do it if there is no one else around.” No, the correct answer is “I do.” From what I know about marriages including my own this leaving behind all
others or forsaking all others except your own husband or wife is vitally
important to most couples. When you give your heart to someone you are giving,
pledging your loyalty. You are giving your exclusive loyalty above all other
loyalties to the person you are marrying.
When
you give your heart to God you should be establishing the same kind of loyalty.
When you have a relationship with God you should be putting that relationship
above all other things in the world that compete with that relationship. If you
truly love God, you will forsake those things that you know are not what God
would want in your life.
Loving
God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength means that you will put God
first above every other thing in this world. When you do that everything else
will fall into place. Grow in your love for God. Truly give God your heart by
forsaking all competing things. Make a commitment and ask God to help you keep
that commitment to be loyal to Him, only Him. When you do that you will find
that your love for God will grow and grow and grow.
Copyright © 2002 - 2021. Ed
Wrather. The Burning Bush website has been online since January 31, 1998. On
June 8, 1998 the email version of the Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.
Ed Wrather began writing devotionals in the early 1990s. The distribution of
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