“For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” John 12:43
Today’s Christian daily devotional
If you asked me the exact moment I felt my heart slipping from a nominal fascination into a more soulful interest in my husband, it’s not hard for me to recall the specific details of that life changing moment.
Picture this–It is a muggy day in late June twelve years ago. John and I are wandering around a festival in the quiet suburbs of Chicago.
The weather seemed to threaten rain as thick clouds covered the sun like a wet blanket. They hover low in the sky, but no drops touch the thirsty ground that day. The overcast gloom was enough to keep the usual masses of people at bay. Only a few families sprinkled the large sectioned off site. What a perfect circumstance to enjoy the rides and have the pleasure of getting to discover each other without interruption. The desolate carnival felt like it was the perfect backdrop for an opening scene to our romantic love story. And it was.
I remember watching John’s charming smile as he proudly presented me with the most horrible and sad-looking stuffed bear that I had ever seen. Although it was far from cuddly, (it seemed to be filled with crunchy Styrofoam) and not easy on the eye, it cost him his entire stash of parking quarters.
“Thank you.” I blush at John’s lavish attention while clutching the animal tightly. With his simple gesture, that sorry looking animal suddenly rose in value, no matter what my thoughts were when I first beheld it from behind the prize cache’.
John scoped me into his winsome arms for big hug. I obliged, imagining that I could stay there forever. We walked, talked, held hands and swatted mosquitos until the roadies started disassembling the Farris wheel. Ever since that moment, the very thought of John caused my heart to patter with a bit more excitement and fear–at the same time!
What a frightful feeling to know that my precious and vulnerable emotions were suddenly in the trust of this handsome new stranger. I was falling in love! The more I got to know John, the less I thought about myself. Love had a funny way of affecting the way I saw everything from that moment on.
To this day, when I enjoy a movie, meal or memory, I automatically stop to consider what John’s feelings or opinions might be on them. I can’t help myself. Nor, do I want to! As I believe with all my heart that this is precisely what love does. It takes the world of one person and expands it to contain another.
In John 12:43 we are reminded that most humans have a tendency to consider what another person thinks over the thoughts of God Himself. I believe this is because most of us never consider that our love for God should grow, just as any important relationship usually does.
When I asked Jesus into my heart, I was never the same person after that. I noticed that the way I saw life radically changed for me. Automatically I began to consider what God thought about this or that. And because I loved Him so much and wanted to please Him, I felt drawn to approach and deal with things differently.
What we love affects us. And, the longer we love it, the more it actually defines us. What do you love? Is it worth building the fabric of your life upon? Because whether you stop to think about it or not, it already is.
“Dear Heavenly Father,
I love you; but, perhaps not as much as I could. Sometimes in the bustle of life, I feel like I barely have time consider my choices thoughtfully, let alone to take into account your thoughts on the matter. My simple life might seem mundane to me, but I know that you want to be a part of it and you will not force your way into it.
Lord, there is a deeper way of living. Many other people have found a way to simultaneously juggle the drama of day-to-day living while still maintaining their intimacy with you.
Help me to reprioritize things so I can get to know you and fall in love with you all over again. I remember the joy in my heart when I first asked Jesus to abide there; but for some reason, I seemed to have lost that spark.
Lord, I want it back. Light the fire of my heart to burn hot for you again, and fill my life with the pleasure of getting to know a whole new side of you! Amen.”
*This devotion is dedicated to my amazing husband, John. Honoring our nine year wedding anniversary we will be celebrating this August. John, thank you for changing the way I see the world and for making mine better in every way. You’re the second love of my life and I thank God that He chose you for me. (Jesus, you’re my first love!)
Thank you for reading today’s Christian daily devotional on verse: John 12:43
Please check back and see what we have for you tomorrow!
Author: Julia Shalom Jordan