01/20/2024
Let’s begin our time of devotion this morning by listening as a lawyer asks Jesus what he should do to inherit eternal life, and Jesus turns the question around on him, and asks the man what was written in the law.
“And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.”
Luke 10:27 KJV
Jesus is telling this man that even though he adheres to the letter of the law there is one area in which he still lacks… his devotion and relationship with God isn’t first and foremost in his life. This religious lawyer was crossing all the “Ts” and dotting all the “Is” of the law and his religion, but he hadn’t understood the deeper heart of God, and how to give himself in return. Let’s ask ourselves if we are honestly any more devout and perfect in our faith than this lawyer. When we pray is it with all of our heart, or just a list of needs and desires? Are we saying the words as we tell our Father that we love Him without really knowing what that means?
Prayer requires the same absolute commitment from us. Sure, we can quickly rattle off a short few words as we go about our daily lives, but don't we want them to lead us into a deeper relationship than that with God? It is the difference between a casual acquaintance and a loved one... With a casual acquaintance we never get much deeper than a passing "How do you do", but with a loved one we want to share our deepest feelings and desires with them. E.M. Bounds hit on this same point when he wrote these words:
"Just as it requires a whole heart given to God to gladly obey God's commandments. So it takes a whole heart to pray effectively." – E.M. Bounds
God wants our undivided attention, He wants us to seek a deep relationship with Him... The kind that culminates in true love... Not a fleeting infatuation.
When I first accepted Jesus Christ as my savior I wanted to know the more superficial things about Him; the kind of information that people want to know when they first meet each other... Who are you parents, who is your family, what do you do for a living, what are your likes and dislikes; well, well, you get the picture. However, as our relationship grew I wanted to know the innermost thoughts of God and Jesus, and I came to understand that He wanted to know me that way too. He wanted me to love Him just as He loved me... Totally and without limitation.
As we pray we should be cognizant of who we are developing a relationship with. We should be seeking a deep and abiding love with the living God of all creation and His Son Jesus Christ who gave His own life for us. E.M. Bounds expounds upon this incredible bonding when he says:
"Praying if far more than simply bending the knee and saying a few random words. Praying is divine." – E.M. Bounds
Praying is indeed a conversation, but it is a holy conversation with the divine Himself. What should amaze and humble us most is that the Creator of everything we know and are, would like to befriend us; to love us, and to walk with us every day. Furthermore, He wants to solve our problems and provide our every worldly and spiritual need.
Once we acknowledge who He is, then loving God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind ceases to be a theological contract and becomes an all-consuming desire; it is no longer a requirement imposed upon us by our religious practice or the liturgy of our church, as we seek to gain His gifts. When we know and love God, and His Son Jesus entirely, our commitment to them becomes our greatest and most overwhelming pleasure and the sole purpose in our lives… love.
Prayer is the means by which we speak with God, and we should approach it with all of our heart, soul, strength, and mind. We can show our love in other ways too, but prayer is the ultimate method by which we can communicate with God... And He with us. So we shouldn’t shortchange our relationship, but instead, let the fullness of who we are flow into it through our prayers. God showed us in the life, death, and resurrection, of His only begotten Son that He is willing to do that, should He expect any less of us?
Prayer:
Father, thank you for holding me and keeping me this day; thank you for calling me your own and blessing me as your child. Help me Lord to see and feel the amazing depth of your love for me, and to do so all the day long. Lead me in my faith as I love you with every breath I take, and accept the seal of our relationship, which is your grace and mercy, so that there is no distraction or doubt in the redeeming blood of Jesus having saved me, transformed me, and led me into a perfect and everlasting relationship with you. Help me Lord in my worldly struggles, and give me the strength and love it takes to leave behind all those things in my past life that might possibly stand in the way of a pure and perfect walk with you. Holy, Holy, Holy are you my God and dearest love, who was, and is, and is to come. You are the one object of my deepest and most perfect relationship always, and your Son Jesus is not only my heir and joint heir in you, but my loving brother who prays at your throne in intercession for me, teaches me how to love you as a son that you will be pleased with, and who will come to bring me to you in glorious and everlasting prayer. Pour out your Spirit on me Heavenly Father, and lead me to where you await me in eternity so that we might be complete.
Rich Forbes