(This is a followup to yesterday’s post on Mark 12:29-31)
Maybe the best way to love God completely is to stop trying so hard.
Right now, you are standing in the middle of the most chaos that you have ever known in your life. You are spinning more plates than a guest on the Ed Sullivan show. You are keeping them all moving, and, when one starts to slip, you are getting it going again.
And in the moments when you are wiping the sleep from your eyes, trying to remember where you are, wondering whether you can get to those plates on the end that need a restart — in those moments you think, “and now I need to try to love God completely, too?”
I think that loving God isn’t another plate that has to be put up on a stick and kept spinning. Think about how well that works in relationship. (“That should keep her happy for awhile” may work if your spouse is a customer, but not if she’s the other half of you.)
I think that loving God shows up more in choosing which plates to put on the sticks: is this plate worth spinning? What will keeping it up prove?
- Keeping up with the storyline on that show for all six seasons, is it worth the energy?
- Going to every soccer game your kid plays in, including the one where he sits on the bench for the whole game, is it worth the time?
- Sending a friend a book that you think might be worthwhile, is it worth the risk?
- Taking out one more mortgage for one step bigger, is it worth the overtime?
The answers may not be what you would assume. But asking is essential. Because loving someone isn’t an addition to what we do. It is the measure of everything we do.
300 words a day 
lisa
My hubby was in an accident a few years ago, and I had to postpone my involvement in several different church activities for a while to take care of him. I was humbled to see the church activities going on just fine without me. I had the thought that maybe God is insulted when I try to earn His Grace and Love. He wants me to acknowledge His Son and accept His gift without offering to pay for it in some way. As if it’s possible that I could offer a sliver of what it cost Jesus. I’m still involved in a few things, but I take the time to question whether I’m accepting God’s grace or trying to earn it. Basking in His Love, without priding myself into thinking that I can affect it somehow, is the kind of Sabbath I need sometimes to give me a better perspective. Good post.
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Frank Reed
Having been a plate spinner for quite a while I learned the hard way what happens when you are arrogant enough to think that God is just another plate that needs to be on another stick. I was simply crushed. No details needed just suffice it to say, it all came crashing down.
Now I am rebuilding but seeking God before I even consider picking up any plate. I’m far from perfect on this one but I am more fulfilled than ever.
I try to love God with all of my heart by making sure He is always first and repeating Psalm 19:14 over and over about 100 times a day.
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Joseph Ruiz
Jon
“Because loving someone isn’t an addition to what we do. It is the measure of everything we do.” wow, great quote, and I am still chewing on “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight Lord”.
These words have been and are very timely and helpful right now.
Thanks for sharing.
Joe
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