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)
Lord Jesus, as these Scriptures affirm, Satan is always seeking to disrupt, diminish, and derail our love for you. And when he’s successful, everything else in our lives gets out of balance.
We start thinking of ourselves too highly, too lowly, and certainly too often. We take criticism too personally and binge on people’s approval like our favorite junk food.
When we don’t see your beauty, and make abiding in your love a priority, we medicate our pain in unhealthy ways and get busy with things that don’t really matter. We get irritated quicker and repent slower. We’re more susceptible to fears; and more likely to sin with our thoughts, words, and choices.
So as this Wednesday begins, and continues, we reaffirm that our greatest joy in life is being known, loved, and enjoyed by you. We love you, Jesus, because you first loved us and gave yourself for us on the cross. There’s no greater expression of love in the history of affection.
No one, and nothing else, is worthy of our attention, affection, and adoration. Though our love for you waxes and wanes, your love for us is unwavering and inexhaustible. We believe this is true. Help us believe it even more.
May your love for us be the most enthralling, liberating, and compelling force in our lives. Jesus, constantly stoke the fires of our passion for you. So very Amen we pray, in your great and gracious name.
