“So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs” (John 21:15). This is a good question for us to ask ourselves.
Do we love the Lord more than we love our relatives? If we do, we will not let them hinder us from obeying the Lord or worshipping Him. The Lord taught: “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 10:32).
Do we love the Lord more than we love our money? If so, we will cheerfully and liberally support the Lord’s work. “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:6-7).
Do we love the Lord more than we love entertainment and pleasure? Indulging in pleasure at the expense of Christian living and serving God is sinful for these things have taken over God’s rightful place (cf. Luke 12:15-21). Sinful pleasure is always wrong. “But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth” (1 Tim. 5:6). “Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter” (James 5:5).
Do we love the Lord more than the praise of men? If so, we will be willing to obey God even if it means we must incur the rejection of men. Some Jewish leaders believed on Christ but would not confess him because they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God (John 12:42-43).
The Lord must be the supreme object of our affection. We must be able to sing with meaning, “O How I Love Jesus!”
- via the Nile Street Notes, the weekly bulletin of the Anna Church of Christ in Anna, IL; R. W. McAlister preaches for the congregation and may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.annachurchofchrist.com/
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