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)
Lord Jesus, first of all, that you are jealous for our love is humbling and astonishing. And as this Scripture underscores, Satan is always seeking to destroy, divert, or diminish our love for you. When he succeeds, like a destructive domino effect, everything else gets negatively impacted.
We start thinking of ourselves too highly, too lowly, and too often. We take feedback too personally and we feed on compliments like fudge (or kale salad!). When our relationship with you gets put on the back burner, we medicate our pain in unhealthy ways and we busy ourselves with things that don’t really matter.
Non-eternal concerns preoccupy our hearts, and ordinary irritants get supersized. We’re more susceptible to fear and anger; and acting out like toddlers. When we let heart-drift from you go unattended, we rob ourselves and others of your grace. Worse, we rob you of glory.
So, on this January Saturday, we reaffirm our greatest joy in life is being known, loved, and enjoyed by you, Jesus. We love you because you first loved us and gave yourself for us. Your love for us is always full throttle, passionately focused, and tenaciously tender. You alone are worthy of our heart’s attention, affection, and adoration.
Lord, keep rescuing us from the whisperings and lies, seductions and condemnations of Satan. Until the Day you return, may your love for us be the most enthralling, liberating, and compelling force in our lives. By the Word, gospel, and Spirit, restore and deepen our first love for you. So very Amen we pray, in your great and gracious name.
