Love, When it Becomes a god, Becomes a Demon

"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;” Matt. 10:37. That is an extremely hard statement. God is a jealous God.

I have such a hard time with this. I really love my wife and my kids. I love myself even more. I want to be happy, I don’t want to be miserable. I have often seen the relationships in my life as my ticket to happiness and in reality they have brought much happiness to my life. My problem is that I have a tendency to worship happiness. I (much of the time) want a good marriage more than I want God, I want my children to be healthy and safe more than I want God, I want you to like me more than I want God. The truth is that you do too. That is the story of humanity. We (Adam & Eve) wanted something more than we wanted God so we turned away from him.

In fact, my main purpose in going to God (or church or just doing good things) is often to get God to deliver his blessings to my door. Ironic isn’t it, I use God to move away from God. Blessings are the point, not God. It’s what he can do for me, not finding my life in him. When he doesn’t deliver I try to find a way to make my life work on my own terms and justify my disobedience because of his lack, instead of trusting that he loves me and is working in my pain to bring about my good.

The problem is that “Love, when it becomes a God, becomes a demon.” (C.S. Lewis) God knows that my greatest, deepest need is a living breathing relationship of love and trust with him. My prayer is that the Spirit works in me to know and want this in an ever increasing way. When I want God more than I want a good marriage and great kids I can have a better marriage and healthier kids (it’s a side benefit and not the point.)

Another thought that comes to mind is another one from C.S. Lewis—“Because we love something else more than this world we love even this world better than those who know no other.”

May we love God so much than we overflow with love to one another, family, friends and enemies.

Learning to Live Loved,

Deon