I love you Lord
And I lift my voice
To worship You
Oh, my soul, rejoice
Take joy my King
In what You hear
May it be a sweet, sweet sound
In Your ear
(From the song I Love You Lord by Laurie Klein)
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Deuteronomy 6:5
Surd: “lacking sense, irrational” Merriam-Webster Dictionary
“But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die.’” Genesis 3:3 That was the first conversation the devil had with a person. “You will not surely die.” It’s a lie and we all know it. But we all hope in it as well. When we’re kids we jump off cliffs and airplanes and bridges. We drive our cars too fast, drink too much, and party too hard. We never believe we could actually die. Then someone is killed. So we straighten up. We do what it takes to be healthy, happy, and productive. We say to ourselves that if we live right we won’t die. Not at least until we’re ready. We live hoping that first lie somehow is truth. But it’s not. We all die. But we’re supposed to have joy. We’re supposed to have peace. We’re supposed to..? There will come a point when all that is tested in our lives. A point perhaps when it all seems like hollow words. How do we find joy in sadness? Gladness in sorrow? Peace in war? “I love you Lord, and I lift my voice, to worship you, oh, my soul, rejoice.” Laurie Klein didn’t write those words in a time of joy and happiness. She wrote them out of despair. She wrote them looking for God and the peace He promises. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your might.” God didn’t command that for Him. He commanded it for us. Because it’s the link between our hearts and His. For some, today is the happiest day of their lives. For some, today is gonna be tough. And for some it’s just another day filled with work, commutes, sunshine, rain, arguments, and whatever the case may be. Through it all we are to love the Lord. But how? I’ve never seen God, and I bet you haven’t either. Or have we? Are we not surrounded by His creation? Have we not seen the miracle of new life born into this world? Didn’t He say that He made us in His image? Maybe that’s why when Jesus listed Deuteronomy 5:6 as the greatest law, He said that the second was like it. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Mark 12:31b But it’s in loving our neighbors that we are hurt so much. Hurt by words, actions, and loss. However, it’s also in love that we are healed. Healed by words of love, actions of love, and the Cross of love. We may die. But so did God. He couldn’t bear for us to die alone. So He gave up His life so that we could join Him in the resurrection. “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13 That’s what Jesus did for you and me. That’s how He promises so much more. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your might.” Cause He loves you so much more than that!
Daily Journaling Questions:
How did I help someone in kindness today?
What did I learn today?
What am I thankful for?
Who did I love today?
What am I dreaming of?
What about today do I want to remember forever?
What are my goals for tomorrow?
Thanks for reading,
Jake
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Daily Self Growth Journal Pt. IV
Non-FictionThis is the fourth part of a project called the "Daily Self Growth Journal." Its purpose is to prompt readers to journal through encouragement, motivation, and inspiration. In it, the first thing I do is provide a motivational, or inspirational qu...
