I hope you will put up with a little more of my foolishness. Please bear with me. For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. I promised you as a pure bride to one husband—Christ. But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent. 2 Cor. 11:1-3 (NLT)
Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. Eph. 6:24 (NIV)
Dear Lord Jesus, whether overtly or covertly, Satan is always seeking to steal the affections of my heart away from you. And when he is successful, everything else in my life gets out of balance. I start thinking of myself either too highly or too lowly, and certainly too often; I take criticism too personally and I feed on complements like chocolate.
When I get distracted from my main calling (and privilege) of communing with and adoring you, I medicate my pain in unhealthy ways and get busy with things that don’t really matter; I get irritated quicker and repent slower; I’m more susceptible to fears and more likely to sin. None of this bodes well. All of these things rob me and others of grace, but worse, they rob you of glory.
So as this day begins, and continues, I reaffirm that my greatest joy in life is being known, loved, and enjoyed by you. I love you, Jesus, because you first loved me and gave yourself for me—in life and in your death. No one, and nothing else, is worthy of my heart’s attention, affection, and adoration. Though my love for you waxes and wanes, your love for me is always full bore, full throttle, passionately present and persistent.
Continue to rescue me from whisperings and lies, and seductions and condemnations of Satan. May your love for me be the most enthralling, liberating, and compelling force in my life, until the Day you return, and I am made perfect in your love (1 Jn. 3:1-3). Hallelujah, what a Savior you are! Hallelujah, what a salvation you have won for us! So very Amen I pray, in your great and gracious name.
