Thursday, March 28, 2024

God, I love you more

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Mark 12: “29 Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; 30 AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’”
 

There is a scene in the move “Fire Proof” where Caleb is heavily laden with guilt over his miss-use of his home computer.  He has been using it to covet and lust - generally satisfying his human desires - and neglecting his wife in the process.  When he finally comes to terms with his weakness he sees only one solution; he takes the computer outside and smashes it to bits with a baseball bat.  His neighbor witnesses this and obviously thinks Caleb has lost his mind.  But nothing could be further from the truth, he is getting it straight.  He is following the example of Matthew 5 in a practical way.

“29 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.”

Jesus never intended that we dismember our bodies only that we understand the seriousness of separation from God and be willing to sacrifice our sinful nature to make our place with Him.  This is what Caleb does symbolically; in place of the computer he leaves for his wife some flowers and a note that simply says “I Love You More!”  He rids his life of the sin habit and starts the reconciliation process with a promise and a commitment “I Love You More”.  He loved his sin so much he began to despise his wife; he failed at trying to have both.  So when faced with the choice, and recognizing what he stands to lose, Caleb knows who he truly loves and sets out to make it right.  He doesn’t deny he has loved sin, but he repents of it, he turns away; he loathes that which he once loved in order to love that which is good.

Matthew 6: 24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other…”

Caleb’s story is a human story; we are human.  I am human; my heart wanders, my mind wanders, my eye wanders and it is not always practical to destroy what causes me to sin.  If we are honest we realize that even with no hands or eyes we would sin the same.  If we have a master in our lives that we are serving in place of God we must cast it out.  Pornography, addictions, computer, if it causes you to sin remove it from your midst.

We all battle that enemy within.   We must, daily, minute by minute, overcome and continue to say to Jesus, "I love you more".  Whatever the junk in your life, Love God More; love Him more than yourself, and you will be free!

Philippians 4:8 – “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

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