“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and
with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first
commandment. And a second is like it: you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Matthew 22:37-39
It amazes me how focused I can be on the second part of this
verse, on the second commandment. Sometimes I think I am so good at loving and
serving others. In the environment in which we work, there are so many people
to love, and I love to love them. So often, though, I hear the still small
voice of the Spirit say, “my child, you need to love me first- spend time with
me first, and let me fill you with my love so you can go and love another.”
Guilty. I am guilty of placing others before Christ. Yes, I
love others and yes, I spend time with them throughout the day. But if I forget
the One whom I love and who loves me most, if I don’t spend time concentrated
time alone with the One who gives life and light and breath, am I loving God
well? Can I really love others well? Can I really love myself well?
So many times I forget the Source…
There is something about spending time alone in the Presence
of God. Yes, when I spend time with His children, I know I am spending time in
His presence too. But there is something about intentional, alone time with
just God and me.
In all things, the Lord beckons me to Himself. He is drawing
me nearer and nearer and letting me experience a new level of intimacy with
Him. Today, I will not forget Him or rely on anyone or anything else. I’m
thankful that He loves me because He loves me because He loves me. He doesn’t
love me any less because I am guilty of forgetting Him and neglecting alone
time with Him. And He doesn’t love me any more when I am “good” at remembering
to constantly walk by His spirit, abiding in Him. He loves me. And He loves
you. And because of this, we love each other. And He alone enables us to do
this well.
