“He set His face toward Jerusalem” Luke 9:51

During our evening Lenten Service Sunday with our sister churches, we sang the great hymn “Jesus Calls Us”. The third verse proclaims:

“In our joys and in our sorrows, days of toil and hours of ease

Still He calls in cares and pleasures, Christian love me, more than these”.

What is it that you love more than anything else?

The song gets to the heart of who we are and in what we invest our life. Have you seen people invest hours and hours in some earthly treasure but, give nothing of their time or energy to the things that really matter — like family, Church or the Lord?

They may have a car, motorcycle or a boat that they labor over daily. They may find their way to the fishing hole or golf course or shopping mall almost daily; but never darken the door of a Church.

There is nothing inherently wrong with any of those things unless they occupy first place in your heart and life. Then, they become just an idol that steals you away from all that really matters. You are on the road that may SEEM to bring joy, but in the end, it leads to destruction.

Christ must be first in our life over all temporal things, including even family. Jesus challenged His disciples when He said, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers… but they who do the will of my Father”. Christ must be our first “blood” family.

Yet, if we love Christ “more than these”, we will discover a greater love for our family than ever before. For, we will love our family in a way that honors Christ, and He will give us the strength and power to love them with a greater and purer kind of love.

“Christian, love me more than these!” Do you?

Dan Mayo is Pastor of New Vienna Community Church.