Sunday, February 21, 2016

Love Him

As I read in Luke 10 this week I noticed a theme given by Jesus Christ; over and over again: 

Love God by keeping your eye single to Him

Over the years there is something that I am learning through my dealings and relationship with my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. What I have been learning is that: My Father whom is in Heaven and Jesus Christ do not desire for me to love Them more than anything else - for Them. 

They ask and desire for me to love Them with my eye single to Them- for me.

My Father in Heaven understands that every material thing or every person that I give my love to - more than Him - through means of time spent, thoughts made, actions created, or words spoken, - will never stand the chance of reciprocating, or even be nearly close to reciprocated at the same degree as it would have been - if only my love had been directed towards Him - with my eye single to Him. He knows that my love single and first to Him is everlasting through joy, knowledge, the spirit, and a multiplicity of blessings gifted to those whom love Him. ( 1 Corinthians 2: 1 ) 

Although when reading this chapter Christ comes out and states right out to the Lawyer whom asked " how to receive eternal life? " that one must, " Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind...." ( Luke 10:27 ) 

I gained a deeper meaning of what that looks like when I Love Him first; only a few verses later as the story of Mary and Martha is written in Luke 10: 38-42. 

 Jesus Christ was in the home of Martha. Martha's sister Mary was with them in this home. ( vs.38 )

It is explained that Mary rather than preparing, doing chores,and serving the way that women gain appraisal from (especially in those times) is found at the feet of Jesus hearing His words. ( vs.39 ) 

This was upsetting to Martha and not only does she accuse Jesus of not minding that Mary is not doing what women gain appraisal from, but she also asks Jesus to correct Mary. ( vs.40 ) 

Following this suggestion Jesus Christ teaches powerfully that there is " ONLY ONE THING " that we need to do in our lives which is love Him. We see the " One thing being needful " teach again to have our eye single to Him, and then Jesus teaches why we should have our eye single to Him, and why loving Him is the only thing that we should do as He states:

" Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." ( vs.42 ) 

Heavenly Father and Jesus know that the home that we may be building with fine materials, decorating with beautiful designs, or perhaps the career we sacrifice energy, time and relationships for, or perhaps the tv shows, movies, cars , sports teams, or toned body that we workout for ; are all going to end, and they know that they are going to be taken from us. 

What Mary was choosing was to love God and to keep her eye single to Him. She was not trying to impress anyone with her food, her home, or her skills; she was simply listening with all her heart because she loved Him, and her love for Him can produce much like; spiritual gifts that will touch others lives, unfailing faith that will give her strength through her trials, an ear tuned into the whispering of the spirit which will warn, teach her, and much more....

As I think of these things I consider myself. Although I do not have the Savior standing right in front of me with the chance to sit at His feet and learn from Him; I do have His words right in front of my face as His words are stored in my phone that I so frequently look at. I wonder how many times I am like Martha whom was " worried and careful " to the point that there was no place left in her mind for the things of the Lord? I consider lastly which of my motivations are rooted solely in my eye being single to His glory, and which are not?

I know with all of my heart that everything that the Lord teaches and asks of us are all for our good and because He wants to bless us with more. I will be seeking to choose Him first and show Him that I love Him more. 

3 Nephi 13 : 

22 The light of the body is the eye; if , therefore thine eye be single , thy whole body shall be full of light. 

24  No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye can not serve God and Mammon. 

I say this in the name of My Beloved Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. 

 
" Love is the motivating principle by which the Lord leads us along the way towards becoming like Him, our perfect example. Our way of life, hour by hour, must be filled with the love of God and love for others. There is no surprise in that, since the Lord proclaimed those as the first and great commandments. It is the Love of God that will lead us to keep His commandments. And love of others is at the heart of our capacity to obey Him. "

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