Loyalty

Hebrews 11:24-26 (NIV)

24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.

^An example of how one man chose to forsake every comfort in his own life to focus on the plan God had for him. It couldn't have been easy. We are called to be loyal followers of Christ. (1Kings 2:3-4) And likewise, He is loyal to us. (Deuteronomy 7:9 Know that Yahweh your God is God, the faithful God who keeps His gracious covenant loyalty for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commands.)

Loyalty is not something that's easy to our flesh and our earthly mindsets. God knows this. He knows that we face trials and temptations every day where we have a choice to draw close to His word and His commandments or to turn and choose a different path. It's 2:30am, and I can't sleep at all because my mind is just reeling with His love for me and His grace.

2 Timothy 2:13 If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.

Lamentations 3:22-24 We are still alive because the Lord’s faithful love never ends. Every morning he shows it in new ways! You are so very true and loyal! I say to myself, “The Lord is my God, and I trust him.”

Romans 8:35-39 Who will separate us from the Messiah’s love? Can trouble, distress, persecution, hunger, nakedness, danger, or a violent death do this? As it is written, “For your sake we are being put to death all day long. We are thought of as sheep headed for slaughter.” In all these things we are triumphantly victorious due to the one who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor anything above, nor anything below, nor anything else in all creation can separate us from the love of God that is ours in union with the Messiah Jesus, our Lord.

He has proven Himself to me time and time again, yet I often find myself turning away and choosing things that do not prove my loyal relationship to Him. This week I'm striving to be Loyal to Christ. I'm not sure what exactly that may entail, but I know it isn't going to always be an easy choice. I'm slowly learning though, sometimes love isn't a warm mushy feeling. Sometimes you just have to choose to love someone. Even when it doesn't make sense. Even when you're angry with them. You just have to love them.

Every day, Christ chooses to love me. He loves me in every millisecond of every moment. His love for me is loyal, unwavering, and unconditional. I can think of a hundred reasons for Him to not love me, and yet He stays. 

Words can not justify the feeling of peace. <3