Do You Really Love Him?

February 21st, 2017 by JDVaughn Leave a reply »

She has done a good work for Me. —Mark 14:6


If what we call love doesn’t take us beyond ourselves, it is not really love. If we have the idea that love is characterized as cautious, wise, sensible, shrewd, and never taken to extremes, we have missed the true meaning. This may describe affection and it may bring us a warm feeling, but it is not a true and accurate description of love.
Have you ever been driven to do something for God not because you felt that it was useful or your duty to do so, or that there was anything in it for you, but simply because you love Him? Have you ever realized that you can give things to God that are of value to Him? Or are you just sitting around daydreaming about the greatness of His redemption, while neglecting all the things you could be doing for Him? I’m not referring to works which could be regarded as divine and miraculous, but ordinary, simple human things— things which would be evidence to God that you are totally surrendered to Him. Have you ever created what Mary of Bethany created in the heart of the Lord Jesus? “She has done a good work for Me.”There are times when it seems as if God watches to see if we will give Him even small gifts of surrender, just to show how genuine our love is for Him. To be surrendered to God is of more value than our personal holiness.

Concern over our personal holiness causes us to focus our eyes on ourselves, and we become overly concerned about the way we walk and talk and look, out of fear of offending God. “…but perfect love casts out fear…” once we are surrendered to God (1 John 4:18). We should quit asking ourselves, “Am I of any use?” and accept the truth that we really are not of much use to Him. The issue is never of being of use, but of being of value to God Himself. Once we are totally surrendered to God, He will work through us all the time._____________________________________________________

February 21, 2017

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Good morning Lord, and thank you for the Chambers devotional and the Richard Rohr devotional as well. It has become a good thing to study and learn form the juxtaposition. Chambers with his 19th and 20th Century guilt and obligatory leverage and Rohr’s teaching about the contemplative mind. (https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/) . But they both seem to agree that the most important part of our “to live is Christ” is found in surrender and connection with You. And as Rohr’s devotional says this morning, living out of surrender and connection can become an ordinary experience that does not require any special feelings or extraordinary effort other than allowing our religious and human veneer to be stripped away. Is this the learning for us today God?

And God says…”Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own ways, means and or understanding and I will make your paths straight. Seek first the kingdom of God, which is Jesus, and I will meet all your daily, worldly needs. Acknowledge Me in all your ways and I will make your paths straight….Over and over, and over I have communicated this truth to You; seek Me and I will respond to you. Knock and the door will be answered. David and you have been taught over the past few months and years, that there are no other covenants or commands other than to love Me with all your heart, mind and spirit, and out of that, love your neighbor as yourself. As you let go of your rights to yourself, and surrender, we, you and Me, are able to connect and communicate in ways we otherwise could not. You now have the supernatural ability to trust Me to light your path one step at a time as you step out into your day.”

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