BIBLE PASSAGE:
Do not love the world or anything in the world.
If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.
(1 John 2:15)
MEDITATION:
The bible makes it clear to us that ‘love of God’ and ‘love of the world’
are diametrically opposed to each other, and therefore they cannot co-exist.
We have to make a choice to love one or the other, but not both.
When we choose to love God, it doesn’t mean we isolate ourselves
and no longer enjoy the things around us.
It just means that we discovered how to enjoy things in the right way.
When we love the world, we will follow the path of corrupting
the good things from God in our efforts to find satisfaction.
When we are disappointed, we will most likely create something bad
out of something God has created for our good.
Love for the world can be described in one word – “lust”.
For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh,
the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes
not from the Father but from the world. (1 John 2:16)
Lust for the things of the world, have replaced our love for God.
The word ‘lust’ encompasses more than sexual desires;
it includes things like envy, jealousy, covetousness;
it is a hunger and thirst to satisfy our fleshly desires.
It describes someone who has allowed their selfish appetites
to steal their attention from their Creator.
And when that happens,
we lose our desire to connect and fellowship with the Lord.
Our selfishness has put us on a slippery slope that leads us further away
from the Lord, as we strive to find self-satisfaction in whatever way possible.
Satan has intervened and tries to convince us that God has failed
to provide us with good things to enjoy, so we must find them on our own.
If he is successful in misleading us, then we will read the bible less and miss out
on understanding God’s love and provisions for those who belong to Him.
And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times,
having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
(2 Corinthians 9:8)
Jesus reminds us of God’s goodness to those who love Him.
“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though
you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much
more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”
(Matthew 7:9-11)
There is a profound difference between
the ‘things of the world’ and the ‘things of God’.
Satan promises satisfaction from the world, however we find ourselves moving
from one thing to another in search of his promises to ‘fulfill our desires’.
There may be periods of brief pleasure, but lasting satisfaction cannot be found.
As a result, we become more frustrated and disappointed.
On the other hand, when we trust God,
we discover that He delivers on His promises.
God gives us a satisfaction that cannot be duplicated by the world;
it is one that cannot be understood by those who have not experienced it.
And there is a reason for that – they do not know God.
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should
be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason
the world does not know us, is that it did not know him. (1 John 3:1)
ACTION:
Have you been going in circles trying to find peace, joy, and satisfaction?
If so, then more than likely Satan has convinced you that ‘the good life’
can only be found with the ‘things of the world’.
It could be that the evil one has caused you to lose your focus
and your love for your Heavenly Father who ‘lavishes His love’ on you.
Read the things in 1 John and be reminded of how much God loves you
and how much He has to offer for those who love Him
(valuable and lasting blessings that the world cannot provide).
Pray,
“Heavenly Father, forgive me for allowing Satan to mislead me into
believing that I have to find my own satisfaction, instead of trusting
You to provide all I need. I want to enjoy Your blessings in my life
and I pray that You will help me to love You more and to trust Your
promises. Teach me how to embrace Your blessings, and to let my life
show that I have an unusual satisfaction, as a result of my enjoyment
of the love You have lavished on me.”
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