Tuesday Reading: Matthew 10 37-40
 
Key Verse: Matthew 10 39
39  He who finds his life shall lose it. And he who loses his life for My sake shall find it.

 

Devotion:
When non-Christians tempt us by asking if we love them (or others) more than God our response should be immediate and firm. “Of course I love God more than you!”

 

If they are willing to listen a few more seconds you can explain why it is so important to love God with your whole heart. It does not mean to say that you do not love them at all; far from it. For the more that we can love God, the more we will be able to love others too – I know it sounds a bit of a cop-out for those who do not fully trust Him, but the more that you actually trust God, the more that you will understand just how that is possible. It makes your whole life worth living!

 

Can you imagine being able to listen to the thoughts of those around you? Can you imagine what will be going through their minds as you ask them about who they love the most? Think about what actually goes through your mind and then expand that a bit for them! I would probably want to run away and hide in the desert to get away from the constant bickering! Can you now understand why God wants to know that you do love Him? Can you now understand why God wants you to hold Him above all else?

 

When we do turn the focus of our attention to Christ, we are able to build up our relationship with Him. Just as any relationship, the first short while (short as in not eternity) will be a rocky ride as you get to know Him. The fact that He has already accepted you means that He is miles ahead of you in the relationship and that He is willing to forgive you already. We tend to have to be in a relationship for a while before we do fully trust in our partners. By showing them respect and trust we are showing them that we love them. By trusting their judgements we are confirming that love.

 

Why should we leave God out of anything in our lives when He has already proven His absolute love for us?

 

Points to Ponder:
How do you judge how much a person loves you?

 

Do you think you live up to that with God?