Friday, September 19, 2014

I Love You More Than...

"Many waters cannot quench love,
Nor can the floods drown it.
If a man would give for love
All the wealth of his house,
It would be utterly despised."
Song of Solomon 8:7 {nkjv}

 
 
It really comes down to love in the end.
 
This week, I swept, swept, swept up the stray wisps of pug fur and tracked-in dirt and thought about it -
 
Thought about the particular area of my life in which I feel the Holy Spirit giving the gentle nudge to change - to do differently than I have always done.
 
Which will cause me to be differently {yes, I'm using that as an adverb}.
 
I've felt His nudge in this area before - heard His voice tell me that, as Corrie Ten Boom says, He will walk with me over the fearful, unknown bridge of obedience in this thing.
 
I believe obeying is right - that God speaks Truth when He tells us that He rewards obedience.
 
But I love my disobedience and its perceived benefits.
 
I rationalize it: It isn't sin.
 
"Just" disobedience to the Holy Spirit.
 
So I hesitate - hesitate - hesitate... putting one foot on the bridge, then taking it off again.
 
And I think, "Why is it so hard for me to obey in this area?"
 
And this week, the epiphany came while I swept the floor...
 
A quote and its accompanying scene from the Kendricks brothers' film Fireproof tiptoed through my mind: When the main character Caleb destroys his computer {his own form of disobedience} and leaves a note for his wife - "I love you more," it says.
 
We will give everything for that which we value above all else. {Matthew 13:44} For that which we love above all else.

Hence, if I claim to love Him with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, should not my response be the same as Caleb's to anything - anything at all - that He indicates I need to be rid of: "I love You more."
 
And I realize from what my disobedience {of a very different sort than Caleb's - but then, aren't all sins basically the same at their root?} springs. From whence the difficulty to change arises: Not that I must crush this thing itself - for, as I mentioned, it is not a sin in and of itself -

But that I must love Him more than it, as Abram with Isaac, and be willing to prove that by laying it on the altar when He asks for it, trusting that God will, indeed, provide the sacrifice. And already has.
 
There must be no competition in my heart.

There must be no competition in your heart, my friend.
 
May my Beloved Savior, the Fairest of Ten Thousand, increase my love for Him so that I may affirm to Him, "I love You more."
 

9 comments:

  1. Thank you for this. Something I definitely needed to hear today. I'm struggling with wanting to continue on with me 'sin'. A friend once said that she sometimes loved her sins and so it was hard to repent of them - I didn't think much about it at the time, but I do understand now. Sometimes I do love my sin. And it's hard to break from the pattern - but yes, I want to be able to say "Lord, I love You more" too.
    Thanks again =)

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    1. You're welcome! I'm glad that this spoke to you. :-)

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  2. Don't you sometimes wish God asked us for obedience in an area that was easier, but seems it's always in the area we struggle most to let go. Guess that's why He goes there... Obedience can be hard, but it's just one little step at a time. Beautiful words today.

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    1. Yes, I'm so very glad that it's just "one little step at a time!" :-) Thanks for your encouragements and for stopping in today, Kathryn.

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  3. Beautifully expressed ~ thank you. The topic of obedience especially speaks to me since 'obey' has been my word for 2014. Blessings to you in Christ, Emily (visiting from Wed. Prayer Girls)

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    1. Yes, over here slowly learning that "obedience is better than sacrifice." :-) I'm glad this encouraged you, Emily.

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  4. Very well written! That "I love you more" always touched me! Thank you for sharing this excellent example on the Art of Home-Making Mondays last week! Please join in again this week...

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    1. Thank you, Jes... So glad to have you stop by. :-) And yes, pugs are very "big" on the stubborn, though small in body!

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  5. P.S. We have a pug too! and love that stubborn little creature!

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