"Lord, You are the only One I love... (erm, are you?)
There are many Christian songs with incredible lyrics, and there are some which don't seem to be based in reality.
I've been thinking about the ones that say that God is the only thing worth 'squat' in my life, or that He is the only one that I love, and that I have no other desires in life apart from Yahweh.
This is complete nonsense!
Even reading through the Bible there are times where the writers of the books say things such as "Take Delight in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart." Ps 37:4 ~ NRSV
If God hadn't intended us to enjoy life, and to have partners, friends, or family who we love in the various different ways, then why did He create us with the ability to love in the ways that He has? My relationship with Claire is the most amazing thing I have ever experienced, and I truly believe that God has had His hand of blessing in this from the start - which is before we even met. So now I'm potentially left guilt-ridden because when we sing the words by writers such as Mr Redman, Mr Hughes, and the like, I am forced to sing, and therefore supposedly believe, that Claire has no place, that she is in fact becoming an idol taking me away from my relationship with the Creator.
The fact remains, though, that I love both Yahweh and Claire, as well as my family and friends around me. One of the biggest laws in the whole of scripture is to love God, with all of my heart, mind, soul and strength - with my very being, and that we must love our neighbours (basically anybody we come into contact with) in the same way that we must love ourselves. Now, there's a tricky thing - loving yourself as much as God loves you; if we are created in the likeness of our Creator, then what does that mean? Not that we are God, but that each of us has an amazing awesomeness deep within us which is actually okay to acknowledge - vital even. Yahweh must come first (my 'first love'), but that doesn't mean that I cannot love others; quite the opposite in fact: That God loves me, and I must mirror God's love on this earth, means that by my very nature and being I must love those around me. I will never be able to attain the limitless love of God for all people, but I can love to the best of my ability.
So I continue to enjoy my relationship with Claire for what it is and where it is going. I also continue to love my friends and family and enjoy spending time with them. I also continue to love the young people that I work alongside in my role here in Frome. I do this all at the very same time as loving my God with all of my heart, all of my mind, all of my soul, all of my strength, all of my very being which SHOUTS out to him cries of thanksgiving and amazement for this amazing gift of love in its various forms, which He daily blesses me with - the love that I give out, and the love which I recieve through others.
I've been thinking about the ones that say that God is the only thing worth 'squat' in my life, or that He is the only one that I love, and that I have no other desires in life apart from Yahweh.
This is complete nonsense!
Even reading through the Bible there are times where the writers of the books say things such as "Take Delight in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart." Ps 37:4 ~ NRSV
If God hadn't intended us to enjoy life, and to have partners, friends, or family who we love in the various different ways, then why did He create us with the ability to love in the ways that He has? My relationship with Claire is the most amazing thing I have ever experienced, and I truly believe that God has had His hand of blessing in this from the start - which is before we even met. So now I'm potentially left guilt-ridden because when we sing the words by writers such as Mr Redman, Mr Hughes, and the like, I am forced to sing, and therefore supposedly believe, that Claire has no place, that she is in fact becoming an idol taking me away from my relationship with the Creator.
The fact remains, though, that I love both Yahweh and Claire, as well as my family and friends around me. One of the biggest laws in the whole of scripture is to love God, with all of my heart, mind, soul and strength - with my very being, and that we must love our neighbours (basically anybody we come into contact with) in the same way that we must love ourselves. Now, there's a tricky thing - loving yourself as much as God loves you; if we are created in the likeness of our Creator, then what does that mean? Not that we are God, but that each of us has an amazing awesomeness deep within us which is actually okay to acknowledge - vital even. Yahweh must come first (my 'first love'), but that doesn't mean that I cannot love others; quite the opposite in fact: That God loves me, and I must mirror God's love on this earth, means that by my very nature and being I must love those around me. I will never be able to attain the limitless love of God for all people, but I can love to the best of my ability.
So I continue to enjoy my relationship with Claire for what it is and where it is going. I also continue to love my friends and family and enjoy spending time with them. I also continue to love the young people that I work alongside in my role here in Frome. I do this all at the very same time as loving my God with all of my heart, all of my mind, all of my soul, all of my strength, all of my very being which SHOUTS out to him cries of thanksgiving and amazement for this amazing gift of love in its various forms, which He daily blesses me with - the love that I give out, and the love which I recieve through others.
1 Comments:
Hmmm. I've kind of begun to realise that often you experience the love of God through others in your life, and you love God through the love that you give to them? I don't bother singing, 'you are all I need' or 'you are my first love' anymore... coz IMHO it doesn't have to be a guilt ridden either or... or even a both and.. .but an experience of the love to and from God through others.
Just a thought.
By Nikki, at April 25, 2006 10:02 AM
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