So this study is a challenge to keep God in his rightful place on the throne of our hearts. The authors contend that our ability to love, & keep loving, will be determined by our relationship with the King of Love. How true!!!
Perhaps because I had been lonely as a single dad, or maybe it's just an existing flaw in my character, but when I met Liz I fell into idolatry.
God says, "You shall have no other gods before Me". All my life revolved around Liz. My behaviours and habits changed. I lived to please her. And she hated it. She often said so. Loved me, hated the obsession. And rightly so. It nearly destroyed us. Because I was stifling Liz.
I have a better focus on Jesus Christ again now, but I often slip. My heart worships him more now. My challenge is to continue setting my priorities into the correct order. With the motivation of His love in my heart, I can love His way. And only God's way is true, secure, and pure.
"Day 29 (2nd Jan) Love's Motivation
"My first motivation in all I do, needs to be God. "Do all to the glory of God".
"Any time my attention slips from God as my central and primary focus, I will end up failing. I can only expect His blessing and support when my life is set in the best order of priorities: God first, others second, myself last. Liz is of course first on the list of others, and my children need my undivided love and attention as well, but any time God is less than number one, I will end up in hot water.
"Love motivated by duty, or by favourable conditions, cannot be permanent but love that is lifted up as an offering to God - returned to him in gratitude ... - is able to sustain itself when all other reasons have lost their ability to energise us.
"Think: what a privilege that God has given Liz to me, to be able to love her as Jesus loves me!!!
"As we rebuild our relationship, we are so much happier together. But the danger here for me is that I can forget that it is still "one step at a time". I again felt confused, frustrated and lonely last night. I had to consciously tell myself to get out of self pity. We are closer but I was expecting us to be even closer. When I am loving Liz because Gods love motivates me, there is no room for self: only room to be more concerned for her needs than my own. It was a timely reminder for me to be sowing to the Spirit for a harvest of LIFE!!!!!"
"Day 29, 12th Nov
"Loving Liz unconditionally because My first commitment is love and honour to God.
"Also - I think I was working on a subconscious principle of tryi g to own Liz. Must apologize.
"Also for feeling sorry for myself when my real heart should have been earnestly for Liz. "
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