Psalm
91: 14-16 Because he has set his love upon me, therefore I will
deliver him; I will set him on high because he knows and understands
my name. He has a personal knowledge of my mercy, love and kindness;
he trusts and relies on me, knowing I will never forsake Him. No
never!
He
will call on me and I will answer him.
I
will be with him in trouble;
I
will deliver him and honor him;
with
long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation. (Amplified)
The
first commandment is "love your God with all your heart, soul,
mind and strength." If we get that one right I believe; we get
the rest right.
God
said “Because he as set his love upon me . . . . First I set my
trust in him. Then I make him my permanent dwelling. Then I set my
love on him like I'd tune in a channel or radio station and forget
the rest exist at all. It is a conscious act of choosing to love God
progressively more through time because we have forsaken all other
loves.
A
parent bird finds its young. The baby yells. The parent finds it and
leads it to a place where it can be safe. I don't think it is so much
that I must find God's shelter as that I must call and learn to love
him. I have trouble with these two tasks.
First,
I am so easily drawn aside to other loves. I want. And sometimes the
wants destroy trust and affection for the Father. But it seems as I
consciously choose him, it happens more quickly, though not with less
human struggle. Perhaps one day the struggle will cease, but I doubt
that. I think I recognize more quickly how much I do want the love
of the relationship to stay strong and active. I don't think there
is anything wrong with a Child of God having earthly possessions and
I know all the cliches. But honestly, blessings become spiritual
burdens sometimes, while Jesus reminds us that his yoke is easy and
his burden is light. I start out thanking God for the stuff, people,
job, and end up so busy I barely say “Hi!” in passing and my love
starts pulling away. He will travel with me through the day of
course, but we need dedicated one on one time to keep the love
strong.
Sometimes
it is pride in what I have or pride because of what I don't have that
causes me to turn my gaze away and wander off. But I'm learning to
see the signs. I've prayed for God to scream at me when I start
pulling away. The memory of the close intimate time with my God
draws me back to the center of his shadow. I just have to tune it in
and set my love on him.
Second,
I call to many things when I am in distress. I call up my own past, I
call out to other people's sympathy and direction. I call my own
will. And when I am exhausted, I call the father. This is not an
effective way to live, but I have come up that way and renewing the
mind is not a one time effort.
Another
part of this is knowing and understanding God's name. He is 'I am
that I am.' Anything that could possibly mean is wrapped up in God.
He is beyond description or definition and yet he wants us to know
him. He wants us to understand what his name implies and promises.
How could we not trust or love him if we recognize all he is and
brings to us? He promises to be there always through all things. He
promises deliverance and honor. He promises satisfying longevity and
then ultimate salvation. Frequently very elderly people don't have a
very satisfying life. They lose mobility and strength. They lose
friendships and value within the community and family. They lose
purpose and ownership. I want to be that old person who gets around,
who tries to sing, who smiles and laughs, who wakes up glad to be
living each day. I believe this is a promise to those who set their
love on the Father.
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