First Love
Tuesday's Devotion (1-23-07)
"If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:26 (KJV)
Obviously, this verse is going to present a problem to those of us who believe that we're to love everyone. The truth is that WE ARE TO LOVE EVERYONE! I don't know what the other Bible versions have for this verse, but I'll tell you what was revealed to me when I didn't understand this verse. To me the word "hate," is in comparison to the Lord. Example: "I love the Lord so much, that it makes it look like I hate you." If you love someone more than the Lord, then you'll obey that person more than the Lord. If your wife says, "Hey, I need you to steal something for me..." You have to say, "No, the Lord commanded me not to steal." What I'm trying to say is that we have to honor the Lord above all others in our lives.
When I first read this verse I thought, "I'm in trouble, I'll never be able to hate these people." But it's really simple: Deny yourself and others who want you to partake in evil, and let Christ live through you! Let Christ reign as King in your heart. Christ is the King of all, but we have to fully accept that in our hearts before we can be brought to our knees before His throne. If someone else is reigning as King of your heart, then you cannot be a disciple (follower) of Jesus Christ. If your brother reigns as King of your heart, then who are you more likely to follow Jesus or your brother? Your brother, right? Because there is no other god beside our God, we must put Him first in all things. When referring to the Lord, the term, "Our First Love," means that we love Him above all others in our lives! I hear so many people talk about, "Returning to their first love," like He was the first one they ever loved. Most likely He isn't the first person you ever loved, but He should be the one you love above all others.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this message and for all things. Please forgive us of all our sins as we forgive all those who've wronged us. Help us to put you first in our lives and make you our first love putting you above all others in our life. In Jesus name. A-men!
God bless