Life Journal January 10, 2008
Today's readings: Genesis 25,26; Psalm 6; Luke 10

Loving God Shows

Scripture

And then a certain lawyer arose to try (test, tempt) Him, saying, Teacher, what am I to do to inherit everlasting life [that is, to partake of eternal salvation in the Messiah's kingdom]?

Jesus said to him, What is written in the Law? How do you read it?

And he replied, You must love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself. [Lev. 19.18; Deut. 6.5]

And Jesus said to him, You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live [enjoy active, blessed, endless life in the kingdom of God].

And he, determined to acquit himself of reproach, said to Jesus, And who is my neighbor?

Luke 10.25-29 (Amplified Bible)

Observation

We are to love God with all that we are and have . . . and that love . . . .His love will pour out of us and into the lives of those God puts in our path.

Application (How will I be different today because of what I have just read?)

If I love God with my entire being--if I pour all of myself into loving Him, then I will love others. The needs of others will come before my own. I won't demand my own way, but will instead seek God's way. The more I love God, the more I will love others. . . . and the more it will show. I will not judge them, I will do what I can to help them and love them.

And, this means all those that God puts in my life--whether it is the single mom who makes poor choices, the drunk, the drug addict, the self-righteous church member, the "normal" folks, . . . . I will have compassion on all of them--just as Jesus did.

But, I must die to myself if I am to be filled loving Him and with His love. I cannot look down on others, I am called to love them--all of them.

May I love God more and more . . . . and may that pour out of my life as it fills it to overflowing and into the lives of all those He puts in my path.

Prayer

Father, my prayer today is that I learn and practice loving You more and more--with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my strength, with all my mind. I pray that my love for You would fill me so completely that there isn't room for anything else. That my love for You would remove all self-centeredness and pour out into the lives of others. I would pray that when others look at me they would only see You at work in my life. Consume me Lord. I want to be completely totally Yours.