“And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment.””
- Matthew 22:35-38
Food never tastes quite as good as it does on Thanksgiving Day. Between everyone bringing their best recipes, the festive atmosphere of the holiday, and the once-a-year nature of many of the dishes, there’s just something special about turkey, dressing, and pecan pie on the fourth Thursday of November.
But then you blink, and suddenly it’s Friday. Now that bowl of mashed potatoes you couldn’t get enough of is taking up fridge space and every Tupperware container you own is full of turkey. So by the time Sunday rolls around and you’re having your fifth turkey sandwich in three days, the food that tasted so good when it was new and fresh won’t be nearly as appealing. It’ll just be leftovers.
When it comes to following Christ, sometimes we merely give him our leftovers—our leftover time, our leftover money, our leftover talents. Rather than offering him the best we have to give, we leave him what we can spare. Our best is reserved for work, family, friends, and other interests.
So perhaps now, as the busiest time of the year begins, it’s appropriate to remember what Jesus called the greatest commandment—to love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. God wants more than just the leftovers; he wants it all—perhaps because on the cross Jesus paid it all.
Whether
you spend this weekend shopping, decorating, traveling, or simply cleaning out
your refrigerator, be sure that you are not giving God leftover devotion. May
your love for him be renewed every morning, and may your faithfulness be
inexhaustible. May he be Lord of more than just your leftovers.
No comments:
Post a Comment