Do You Really Love Him?

I read this this morning. Thought I would share. It's from the devotional book "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers...


February 21, 2008

Do You Really Love Him?


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.

Distractions

Ever notice how life is full of little distractions? Things that can keep you from doing much of anything substantial. I mean, you being here, reading this blog is a distraction. Me writing it - distraction. Most of the internet is just one big distraction. Those little kitties over there may be distracting you, even as we speak... We as a society actually pay to be distracted. Movies, amusement parks, TV just to name a few.

I often wonder what could I accomplish if I didn't get distracted? But then I get distracted, and forget what it was I was thinking about...

What was I saying? Oh, right...

Anyway... What kind of great problems could mankind solve if we could just pay attention. Or what kind of "small" things could we do for each other, to love one another, if we weren't worried about all the things that don't really matter anyway. What could God do with our lives if we didn't let every little thing turn us down a rabbit trail.

I like the words to this song. Maybe I can try and remember it today, even with all the stuff going on around me.


Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His Glory and Grace.

Words and Music by Helen H. Lemmel
1922