Loyalty (Part 2)

I love Weddings- The Pageantry- The Beginning of a new life together- Two Becoming One- The Uniting of Hearts and Lives- The Celebration- The food- The Beauty of a Bride and her Court- The Groom at his best- Stong and True- Did I mention the food? I wish I would get invited to more Weddings- Maybe I need to become a Wedding Crasher! That's it- that's the answer- I'll be a Wedding Crasher! Well.............. maybe not. Anyway- As I was pondering over this business of Loyalty, I suppose it was only natural (or maybe Supernatural) that the Holy Spirit would bring Weddings up into my conscious thoughts- Particularly the exchanging of vows. You remember them don't you?

The promise to love, honor, cherish and keep

In sickness and in health

Forsaking all others

Keeping only to your Beloved

All the days of your life

Forsaking all others

Now there's the rub-

A great source of difficulty in the Christian Life.

Does God place this same call on my life in my loyalty and devotion to Him?

Loyalty to my Father in Heaven may mean forsaking people-

At least it may feel like we are forsaking them.

Luke 14:26 Jesus said, " If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters- yes even his own life- he can not be My disciple."

Hard words-yet read on.......

1 John 4:20 If anyone says he loves God yet hates his brother he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother whom he has seen, can not love God whom he has not seen.

Okay now, wait a minute-

Which is it- What's it gonna be?

How about this-

My truest Loyalty to Him is lived out by sharing His Love and Life with People.

I can only be Loyal to Him by Loving them-

With His Love.

Maybe there are times when I have to fall back on this "tough love"-

Times when my loyalty to Him feels like being forsaken to them.

John 3:16 For God so Loved the World (People- All People) that He gave His Only Begotten Son............

If I believe this is truely where God's Heart is-

In the restoration of His people-

In the salvation of His people-

Then maybe it's time to entrust some of these people I love into the hands of a God who Loves them infinitely more than I can comprehend or imagine. Maybe my loyalty to Him is the best way to love them.

Lord Jesus, Father God, Holy Spirit- Thank You for even giving me the ability to love anyone at all. Move in me to entrust You with the lives of those You have brought my way. Enable me to Love them truely by Loving You.

Amen