By Paul Chappell
Wednesday, Jan 22, 2014
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:"
Deuteronomy 6:4-6
If our walk with God is going to be what it should be, it is imperative that we love God as we should. Nothing else can be allowed to occupy the central place in our thoughts, efforts, and emotions that belongs to Him alone. Our love for God should be so complete and all-encompassing that it flows out in every word and every action. Our love for God should also cause us to live in harmony with other Christians.
In a letter to the noted evangelist George Whitefield, John Newton wrote: “The longer I live, the more I see of the vanity and the sinfulness of our unchristian disputes; they eat up the very vitals of religion. I grieve to think of how often I have lost my time and my temper in that way, in presuming to regulate the vineyards of others, when I have neglected my own. . . . When our dear Lord questioned Peter, after his fall and recovery, he said not, ‘Art thou wise, learned and eloquent?’ nay, He said not, ‘Art thou clear and sound, and orthodox?’ But this only, ‘Lovest thou me?’”
Our relationships are shaped by our love for God. When He is in His proper place on the throne of our hearts, everything else falls into alignment. Christians who love God as they should do not spend their time fighting over insignificant matters with others. Instead like two instruments that have each been tuned properly, they act in harmony with each other. If we have trouble getting along with others, the underlying problem may be our lack of proper love for God.
Today’s Renewal Principle:
Our walk with other Christians is shaped by keeping our love for God strong.
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