Deuteronomy 6:5 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”

As children of God, we shall follow the command in Deuteronomy 6:5 and love the Lord our God with our whole heart, soul, and strength. Our love for Him should far surpass the love we have for our spouses, families, friends, ministries, careers, possessions, hobbies, and recreational activities. God is a Jealous God (Exodus 20:5b) and He will not tolerate our affection for anyone or anything else placed above Him. He needs to be First in every area of our lives.

When I rededicated my life to Christ back in 2007, I earnestly prayed for the Lord to bring me a godly husband. I prayed, I fasted, and I asked other believers to pray for me too. I was so anxious to have my prayers answered for a godly mate that I didn’t realize how far my heart was from God. He wasn’t first in my life. Instead of focusing on my relationship with God, my focus was on getting a husband. There was nothing wrong with the prayer request itself, the underlying problem was my heart. It took me years to understand the true meaning of what it means to love God with all of my heart, soul, and strength. As I spend time with God in prayer and the daily reading of His Word, He continues to confirm to me that my love for Him should not be based on what He can do for me, but rather it should be based on a personal love relationship with Him (knowing Him, experiencing Him, and doing His will). God is not my servant; I serve Him! He needs to always be First in my life. He is my Eternal Husband!

Isaiah 54:5 For Your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is His name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth.

Ladies, I encourage you to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength. He is your First Love! Your love and affection for Him should be your top priority. If He has promised you a godly husband and although he is a gift, do not place this man on a pedestal above your King. Your love for Jesus comes first and not the other way around. Your love for your husband needs to be in its proper place (J=Jesus, O=Others, Y=Yourself). Love the Lord your God!

Matthew 22:37-38 Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment.”