Me
versus God
By Karen D’Amore
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with
all your strength.”
Deuteronomy 6:5 (NIV)
I felt completely alone in that
crowded church, certain the pastor was talking exclusively to me. I winced with
discomfort as the sermon made me feel like I was looking down the barrel of a
pointed finger. “How did he know?” I questioned. The truth is…he (the
pastor) didn’t know…but God did! In a series titled FIRST the Idolatry of
Me: Me versus God, the pastor focused on the greatest commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and
with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). He emphasized that,
for believers, EVERYTHING hangs on this truth!
While further dissection of this Scripture emphasized how it
should translate in our daily lives, conviction welled within my heart, mind
and soul. We’re commanded to love God with every fiber of our being from the
inside-out. We’re to love Him wholeheartedly versus half-heartedly. This means I’m
to love Him with ALL of me…not
merely some of me!
There’s no doubt that I love God, but do I love Him consistently…
with ALL of me? I’m ashamed to admit that I don’t! Living in a world saturated
with “things” appealing to our flesh, it seems there’s always something vying
for my affection and competing for my devotion. As of late, that “thing” has
been a renewed passion for running. With this passion gradually transitioning into
an all-consuming obsession, I learned that “runner’s high” isn’t a myth…and I’ve
been flying high on that high!
My morning convictions quickly waned as I rationalized my
passion/obsession as being “healthy”! But while running after church, when
something “snapped” in my surgically-scarred knee, I was aptly reminded, “You
shall have no other gods/idols before Me”… “For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God” (Exodus 20:4-5). With the “snap” resembling symptoms of
previous torn meniscus, I feared that such a tear would terminate my ability to
continue running. Though the “snap” proved superficial, God used the incident
to get my attention, spurring realignment of my priorities and awakening sincere
conviction regarding my displaced devotion.
The key point in that morning’s sermon was… “Idolatry sneaks in
when we exchange ALL for some!” While loving “Me” more … “Me” became the victor in the battle of “Me versus God!” With my
passion for running being re-prioritized, I’m prayerfully endeavoring to “love
God with ALL my heart, soul, mind
and strength!” and see Him become the victor in the battle of “Me versus God!”
GOING
DEEPER:
1.
What “thing” is hindering you from loving God with ALL of your being?
FURTHER
READING:
Married to Dan,
Karen, a retired police officer, currently works as a Manicurist at Craig Berns
Salon and a Foot Care Specialist at Shorehaven Senior Facility.
