Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.”
-John 14:23-24 (NKJV)
-John 14:23-24 (NKJV)
My family and I were walking to our vehicle after a wonderful morning at church; and as we made our way through the parking lot, my son’s little hand in mine and my daughter holding tight to the security in her daddy’s hand, my son looks up at me and says, “Mommy, I want to walk with Daddy, I like him better.” Wow, what a blow! I was obviously hurt and my initial response was one of anger as I said a few words in retaliation and then pouted the entire drive home. Eventually, I left the pity party I was throwing for myself and spoke to my son these words, “Jacob, when you say that you love Daddy more than Mommy, that hurts me really deeply. But you know what, even when you hurt me, I still love you.”
As I played the events of that day over in my head, going over my response and how I could have handled the situation a little better, it hit me right between the eyes. No, not how to handle it better, but how God must feel when we choose other things over Him. Even thinking about it now, brings me to tears as I reflect on all the times I have chosen television, sleep, etc. over Him. What pain that must cause Him, when by my actions I speak ever so clearly to Him, “God, I am going to sleep in this morning, I like sleep more than You.” At least my son was telling me he liked his daddy more than me, what am I choosing over God; sleep, television?
God loves us so very much and so often we respond with, “God, I want to do…, I like it more than You.” Oh, how this must grieve Him! And yet, He loves us with a love beyond anything we can fathom. Our Father in Heaven desires for us to choose Him; to love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind. But how, how do we show Him our love? Is it with a sentimental card on Father’s day? What is the perfect gift for the God of the universe? We find the answer in John 14:23-24 when Jesus said, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.” What can we give to our Father in Heaven, the Creator of all things, the God of the universe? We can give Him the gift of our love by keeping His word. There isn’t a father I know who doesn’t treasure the love of His child more than any other gift that can be given.
I write to you today with a new found understanding and appreciation for God and His love for me and I will look at the choices I make from a whole new perspective. How about you?
As I played the events of that day over in my head, going over my response and how I could have handled the situation a little better, it hit me right between the eyes. No, not how to handle it better, but how God must feel when we choose other things over Him. Even thinking about it now, brings me to tears as I reflect on all the times I have chosen television, sleep, etc. over Him. What pain that must cause Him, when by my actions I speak ever so clearly to Him, “God, I am going to sleep in this morning, I like sleep more than You.” At least my son was telling me he liked his daddy more than me, what am I choosing over God; sleep, television?
God loves us so very much and so often we respond with, “God, I want to do…, I like it more than You.” Oh, how this must grieve Him! And yet, He loves us with a love beyond anything we can fathom. Our Father in Heaven desires for us to choose Him; to love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind. But how, how do we show Him our love? Is it with a sentimental card on Father’s day? What is the perfect gift for the God of the universe? We find the answer in John 14:23-24 when Jesus said, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.” What can we give to our Father in Heaven, the Creator of all things, the God of the universe? We can give Him the gift of our love by keeping His word. There isn’t a father I know who doesn’t treasure the love of His child more than any other gift that can be given.
I write to you today with a new found understanding and appreciation for God and His love for me and I will look at the choices I make from a whole new perspective. How about you?
COACH'S CALL TO ACTION
- What have you chosen over God, your Father in Heaven this week?
- What impact do you think those choices had on God?
- What did Jesus mean by “If anyone loves Me, he will keep my word;” in John 14:23?
- How does this impact your choices, your life?
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