In Luke 14, Jesus talks to some really smart religious people, and He said we should hate our families. WHAT?! Jesus didn’t really mean we should be mean to our mom or ignore our sister. Jesus wants us to love our family and all those who come in and out of our lives. What Jesus was trying to get across is we need to see that loving God means loving Him MORE than any gift that He has given us – including our families.
I remember when I was a child, I received a gift for my birthday from my parents. I loved it, but if you were to ask me if I loved the gift more than my mom and dad, I would have said you had lost your mind! I love them so much more than the gift. This is the same as what Jesus is telling all of us. God is the Creator. God is Our Father. God is the Giver of all that we have, and even though it's sometimes hard to see Him, hear Him, or feel Him, He is still there, and He loves us so much! When we understand this, I believe we not only begin to love Him more, but we begin to love our family and friends more.
Pray for God’s help to love Him more than anything. I promise He will answer, and He wants to give you the gift of Jesus, His Son. By learning more about Jesus, you begin to fall in love with Him more and begin following Him. Because of Jesus, you can love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your love and for all of the gifts You’ve given me. Please help me to understand what it means to love You first, above all other gifts You’ve provided so I can know you more. Amen.