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Of Love and Loss

Okay....so you talked me into a quick post.....but before I begin, let me just say how humbled I am that there is a Russian contingent who faithfully read my blog (wow!). I'm not even sure how they came across it, but I thank God that the words He inspires me to share are being read internationally. And I pray that He would continue to place on my heart those things that He would have said. Amen.

So...here's what's on my heart right now.

What does it really mean to love the Lord? To truly love Him? And can we truly love Him when we allow other things to distract from Him?

If you have ever been in love with another human being (spouse, child, relative, significant other, friend), nothing can keep you from being with them. To quote the great Sam Cooke, "Love will find a way." Personally, I have turned down job offers, I have sacrificed making personal purchases, I have even jeopardized my relationship with God for the love I bore for another human being.

The saddest part about all of that is that I believed that I loved the Lord as Christ commanded (i.e. with all my mind, soul, heart and strength). But I realised (and am still realising) that to really love the Lord like that requires sacrifice.



And the sacrifice must first start with me. I must first put myself on the altar. Not until I do that, can I truly say that I love the Lord. When I (and I'm about to get really transparent here) would rather watch TV than read the Word, I'm not truly loving the Lord. When I procrastinate and postpone my devotion time, I'm not really demonstrating love for the Lord. When I actively ignore the urging of the Holy Spirit (whether He is nudging me to do something or to refrain from doing something), I am not loving the Lord. When I seek to do my own will, with little and less regard for the will of Him who sent me, I am not loving the Lord.

Romans 5:8 (NIV) reads: "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Now that is love. God's love resulted in the gift of His Son who laid down His life. That is the ultimate in love and loss...and yet we, check that, I find it hard to take a little time to spend in devotion to Him...the marvelous part about that is He in His omniscience knew that I would be stubborn and obstinate and He loved me anyway.

What must we give up in order to to demonstrate our love for Him?

Let me lose my life and find it Lord in Thee,
May all self be slain, my friends see only Thee
Though it cost me grief and pain,
Let me find my life again. 
Let me lose my life and find it Lord in Thee 

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