James 4:4-6 MSG.“You’re cheating on God. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way. And do you suppose God doesn’t care? The proverb has it that “he’s a fiercely jealous lover.” And what he gives in love is far better than anything else you’ll find. It’s common knowledge that “God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble.”
First of all, let me start today by saying how Godly proud I am of you. You have committed to something for 20 days! Is it never not a good time to draw closer to the Lord? Something about our scripture reading today gives me all the feels. Because when I read it, I feel the verse of one of my all time favorite worship songs by John Mark McMillan begin to swell up within “He is jealous for me, love like a hurricane, I am a tree, I am a tree bending beneath the weight of His wind and mercy.” Ooo, How He Loves! I don’t know about you, but it is life changing knowledge to know that Jesus is a fiercely jealous lover. When we read this from the vantage point of His love, then it has drawing power. Not just condemning power that makes me want to mistreat myself. He loves me. He chose me. He is jealous over me. Anything that captivates my attention, anything that monopolizes my time, anyone that takes His place, anything that impedes my consciousness towards Him – is me cheating on God. He just wants you. And what He gives in love is far better than anything else you’ll find. So to my single brothers & sisters out there, today put your search on pause and rest knowing that the God of all creation is in love with you. To the single parent reading this, He has you! Take the weight of the world off of your shoulders, lay it at Christ’s feet and LET HIM LOVE YOU. To my married folks whose marraige isn’t all you had prayed or hoped it would be, you are so loved and cherished. To my older saints who feel like you’ve lost your sense of purpose and find yourself fading away, God is not through with you! As long as you have breath, you’re NOT DONE! To my friend in an abusive relationship, let this be the nudge you need to tell you YOU ARE WORTH MORE, don’t let anyone treat God’s prize creation as less! To all of you who are reading, maybe I didn’t describe you perfectly here, but I know the One who can, Jesus. He loves you with an everlasting love, one that numbers all of the hairs on your head and that my friend, is LOVE!
Consecration: Social Media
Ok, I know I have hit the nail on the head today. Good news is that you’ve probably already checked all your social media platform feeds, so don’t start twitching right away. There is method to my madness. Two reasons I want to consecrate social media today.
1 – social media is a time trap – so today when you have to smack your hand because you each to mindlessly scroll, turn your attention to how much you are loved by Jesus. Tell yourself, I am LOVED! I am loved with the fierce and jealous love of my Savior.
2 – mixed messaging: free yourself of the urge to compare yourself to someone else, free yourself of the pull of culture, free yourself of social media conversations (have a real one today 😆), free yourself of the temptation of believing your not-enoughness and LET LOVE IN.
They say that millennials spend 8 hours a day on social media – yes that’s a full-time job. Prayerfully you don’t fall into that category today…but I promise, if you open your eyes today, you might find an idol right in your hand. 📱
