More Than My Next Breath

For me, loving comes as easily as breathing. I simply love people. I devoted most of my adult life as a cop to helping others. Now in my early thirties, I have had to leave law enforcement due to a back injury… but the desire to love others is still here in my heart. So, I am pursuing an education in the health care industry.
My love for people is instilled into my being. It is part of who I am. I was made in the image of the epitome of Love itself. My God loves. His love makes me want to love others. His love is constant and unfailing. His love makes me want to love Him as well… until my desire for Him is greater than my desire for my next breath.

Sounds extreme, I know. But the Bible tells us in Mark 12:30 (NLT) “And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.” This was also mentioned in Luke 10:27 and Matthew 22:37. As a matter of fact, throughout the Bible, we see the same commandment. Old and New Testament authors tell us to love the Lord our God with all that is in us…. We are to love Him with all our hearts.

When I first set out to love God with a Singleness of Heart, I felt that it would be the most difficult task I have ever in my Christian walk attempted. But it has, by far, been the easiest.

I am only doing half of the work. As I draw close to Him, He comes close to me (“Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world” ~James 4:8 NLT). As I study and read His Word, I begin to know Him. I see depictions of His character and His love for me. My heart desires His presence…. I am beginning to crave Him more than my next breath.

Prayer: My God, Lover of my soul, help me to love You with all that I am. Open the eyes of my Heart and allow me to see Your hands at work in my life today and every day. Show me Your heart for me and Your desires for my life through Your Word. Help me to draw near to You with a Singleness of Heart.

Recognizing the Call

"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day." ~ John 6:44

Q: Ever wonder if God is drawing you?

A: Why do you think you were led to read this post?

Love of a Lifetime

I remember the song; what I cannot remember is who sang it. In the chorus a man belts out, “I finally found the love of a lifetime… a love to last the whole night through…” In truth, we could spend our lifetime searching for a love that will last. In an age where infidelity and divorce seem so common; I wonder what ever happened to my Prince Charming and all those happily ever after endings? We seem to be settling for a love to last the night in lieu of one that will last for eternity.
Yes, we settle. Settle for feeling good now; but a heart break tomorrow. We have forgotten about a love that never fails; a love that quenches the desires of our hearts for eternity. Our need for love is so great that often it blinds us from relationships that are not good for our lives. . . We ache for loving relationships. This world we live in even tells us that, being single is being incomplete. So we set our hearts on relationships that fit our personal agendas and give up on our happily ever after fairytales.
But God’s love last for all eternity. His love, Psalm 13:5 tells us, will never fail. His love will fill our hearts and will not keep anything good from us: Psalm 84:11 “NO good thing will He withhold from those whose walk is blameless.” So if we are His (and Romans Chapter 8 tells us that we are righteous through Christ, have been adopted into His family, and are free from blame) not only will He give us His love that never fails, One that lasts a lifetime; but will also, grant us relationships in this world that are good and positive for us.
Today’s prayer:
God I thank You for the love You have given to me. A love that will never fail me…. A love that has my best interest at heart… A love that will withhold no good thing from me... A love for a Lifetime! Help me to live and walk in Your love, and to be an example of Your love to others.
Suggested reading:
Romans 8