I was watching one of these soap operas yesterday entitled, Kailangan Ko'y Ikaw (English means I Need You). In the story, one of the leading women, played by media personality Kris Aquino as Roxanne Manrique, makes a conviction to finally decide to fight for the man that she loves. However, father, played by acting veteran Tirso Cruz III, with his bias against the man and with something to hide continues to forbid the relationship. The leading man, played by actor Robin Padilla, was misunderstood in his intentions with two sisters, Roxanne Manrique and the younger sister, Ruth Manrique.It interests me to watch this series not only because of the people the make up the cast but also because there's a moving conflict and consistency among the characters' personalities from the very beginning. It's very easy to see firsthand who the characters are and what he or she is like. It's just so interesting.
Anyhow, as you know this is not an entertainment blog of that sort. I just recalled a time when I was to make convictions about choosing God over a dad or a lover even. And lovers are not necessarily the people you already have a relationship with. Lovers in the Bible can be anything or anyone you give your devotion to. They're considered as one of your lovers.
The point is when we walk with God, we make a decision for life. Much like God's idea of marriage, you make a pact to be God's bride for life. God is your provider, protector, leader, comforter, and companion. And a lot of times, you will follow where He leads. The same way wives today follow wherever their husbands' occupations take them. We follow God no matter where He leads out of a loving accepting relationship between two people.
That is why essentially Christianity is not a religion. It is like a relationship between a man and a woman or a best friend and a friend, a mother or father to a daughter or son. It is a daily walk, a daily choice, and a daily commitment to love God and keep that relationship strong and acceptable to the other party.
Of course, it's not all times we choose God. At times, God may lead us differently in our calling that our families may not understand. But Jesus was already forthright about this. He said, "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me."
At times, in our walk with Him we may have to choose God over parents, authorities, and friends, and these are situations where the father or mother is not in the Lordship of Christ. "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. (Ephesians 6:1)" A parent who is under the Lordship of Christ will not lead you to make decisions that are not God's will for you. But in cases where that is not the case, we obey what God says because we realize that God is important. He is of greater importance than even our families and friends. A mother who loves God would want her children to follow the Lord wherever He leads. God is a very important priority, Jesus taught.
Not only that, sometimes we have to make a conviction to choose God over a wrong relationship whom we have already given our heart and emotions to. How would you deal with that? Just like Roxanne in the main plot, you choose Your Ultimate Lover, you choose God.
No other man can satisfy Your need and tank for love more than the Lord Jesus. Other vessels will run out. They are only people. But God He is full of love, full of mercy, full of understanding, and full of compassion. No other relationship can ever satisfy the need of Your heart more than God and God alone.
It is not that God is not concerned with our needs or our desires for intimacy. It's just that He seeks to fill them first in our lives, having been the one who created the need and desire in your heart in the first place. He seeks to be first to fill your emotional tank and fully accomplish His work in your life.
It's not always easy - to choose God over your own understanding sometimes. But God has taught me deeply through his constant companionship that He alone understands, He alone loves immeasurably, and He alone gives more than what we could ever hope for or imagine. He is my God as opposed to just God. MY GOD.
EL SHADDAI means the All Sufficient One. The Great I Am. Whatever your need, He is. Whatever you want Him to be, He is.* And He is more than enough for every desire or accomplishment that we seek to have in this life. God Alone is more than enough.
Some of us our lover is our work. Through it we get the affirmation we can receive and sometimes don't receive perhaps at home or elsewhere. But God is saying, your labor alone will not satisfy what you seek that can only be filled by ME.
"Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare." Isaiah 55:2
Work can be our lover because through it we feel important, when God wants Him to make you feel important. Because truly you are. You are important to Him. But God wants to be the one to give you the kind of affirmation and satisfaction that you need. He just wants to be your Source and not your work. ;-)
He is a God of good things. He wants to be YOUR GOD.
One day when you're Roxanne and you have to choose, He wants you to make your choice HIM out of YOUR LOVE FOR HIM because willing and loving obedience is what makes THE CREATOR happy. "Only voluntary love satisfies the heart of God." - Billy Graham
When you choose him, it is because you love Him more than anything. That is what pleases Him.
Obedience is costly but obedience does not feel so burdensome when you do it out of love.
Christian author Chip Ingram shares it means to put GOD in your family, God in your work, God in your choices, God in your relationships, God in your finances and God in your friends. Let God be in everything that you do and everything that you are.
Make Him the God of your youth. He will be still be your God in your old days. "I will be your God throughout your lifetime--until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you." Isaiah 46:4 (NLT)
The God of all good things is a sure foundation that will not be broken and a sure foundation that will remain for eternity. "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." 1 Peter 2:6
Choose wisely whom you select. One who will not disappoint or one who can satisfy you for the short-term but leave you empty to your old age. Choose wisely. Choose the Lord out of obedience and love. He is a sure comfort and refuge even to your dying days.
In Jesus Name. Amen.
Note:
*Taken from various Christian teachers that I cannot attribute to one person
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