We are called to follow Jesus on a daily basis – to make God the center of our life and the center of our thoughts and deeds and to love one another. “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” [Matthew 22: 37-39] These commandments, when lived out, are transformational. We are called to a new life based on the gracious and undeserved love God has for us. We are humbled and acknowledge that we have standing before God based on God’s grace alone and not based on anything of ourselves. Because of God’s gracious love to us, we are compelled to reflect that love to others.
Our “new life” as Christians does not relieve us from our problems, however. As humans, we are naturally prideful and sinful. We can get distracted by the challenges life brings – the extreme busyness of life, hurts and disappointments from those we trust and love, health issues, and problems we encounter that are sometimes difficult to comprehend, let alone solve. We can easily lose our focus on God. When we weaken this relationship, the problems of life can cause anxiety, stress, and confusion. We may begin to make God a lower priority or perhaps even engage in open rebellion against Him.
It is important that we are disciplined in maintaining our relationship with God. We need to engage in daily conversation with Him through prayer; find time for silent contemplation to hear Him; engage in Bible study to better understand the nature of the God we love. As we mature in our relationship with Him, we will be able to recall God’s faithfulness and love and feel His continued presence in our lives. Bad days, when handled in obedience alongside a loving God, can humble us, renew our faith and we can continue to try to live a life that is both pleasing to God and helpful to others. We are only prepared to do that when we remember all He has done for us. As you worship God today, thank Him for his everlasting and ever present grace and faithfulness. Pray that He will be the focus of your life today.
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