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 Foot Care Specialist at Shorehaven Senior Facility. She’s
on the Oakwood Women’s Ministry Special Events planning team.
