July 5 - More Love for God

Today's Reading:
Ezekiel 12:1-14:11
Matthew 10:24-11:6
Proverbs 12:18-27 
Click on Text Link to Read Online

Focus Verses:
Matthew 10:37-39
37 "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."

Insight:
Loving God more than you love your family is actually the way to love your family the best. It may seem counterintuitive, but loving God first and foremost is the surest path to loving others and yourself. We will have a bigger and better love for everyone else when God is the object of our biggest and best love.

It's only when we lose our lives in surrender to Jesus that we are able to find our deepest and richest selves. By loving Jesus above all else, I am so enriched and fulfilled that I become truly ready to love others. Jesus calls me to love him above all others because my relationship with him is what prepares and teaches me how to love others. Loving him first is what makes me able to love others best.

Response and Action:
I will put Jesus first in my life. By putting him first I hope to become the truest, deepest, and most loving person I can be. By loving him more than others, I hope to be able to love others more.

O Christ, help me to love you above all else. Help me to find myself in you. By the power and grace of your Spirit and the guidance of your word, lead, teach, transform, shape, and strengthen me, that I might become more and more able to serve and love others. Amen.

Spiritual Formation Verses:  
John 13:34-35
34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Resources:
The Life You've Always Wanted
by John Ortberg