My First Love...

By now, most people know that I'm a HUGE Dallas Cowboys Fan. No doubt about it. Been following them since I was 12 years old...when I didn't even truly understand the game. The best part about being a Cowboys Fan these days is that I share this love with my hubby (who, by the way, is a sports fanatic!). It makes for a great date! We have sooooooo much fun hanging out and sharing the ups, downs, heart attack, knee jerking moments and this has been the best season yet!  Our boys made the playoffs AND won their first playoff game.  Woo hoo!

But I digress.

In the sermon yesterday, our pastor reminded us that our first love, our first priority is the Lord. Seeking to please Him first is how we make Him a priority in our lives. To show us how we should passionately pursue the Lord, he used how we approached dating and marriage as an illustration.

When dating, in marriage, think about the deeds you did at first. You didn't have the 'stuff' [money, car, etc], but you had the fire... You never date to marry in the bible. You marry to date. ~Dr. Tony Evans

Do you remember what you did and how far you would go to win the heart of your mate? Most likely, you had passion. You had fire. You went over and above to show them how much you cared and loved them. You put your best foot forward. You gave them the best you. You decided to get married. Then after a few years, the honeymoon phase was over and all that fire and passion began to wane... 

That happens in our Christian walk, too. Think about when you first accepted Christ. If you were like me, you were on fire for the Lord. You went over and above to show Him how much you loved Him.  You put your best foot forward. You gave Him the best you. Then after awhile, you were more into religion and praises from man... You forgot about why you were doing what you were doing and all that fire and passion faded into the background... 

Jesus' promise... He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him." (John 14:21 NASB)

You know someone loves you when you're interested in their interest. ~Dr. Tony Evans

The Lord knows you love Him when you're interested in His interest. I enjoy hanging out with my husband and watching the Cowboys beat the brakes off other teams. But my first love and my first priority is pleasing The Lord. I do that by ensuring that I give Him my time, talents, and resources first and consistently. I remember what I did in the beginning and ask for forgiveness when I stumble backwards. I repent by redirecting my thoughts and actions to align with His. I repeat daily.

Who is your first love?

Resource
First Things First, Dr. Tony Evans