Scripture: Matthew 22:37-40 “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Devotional: Throughout the Old Testament and the New, loving God with all your heart is the foundation of any follower of God or His Son Jesus Christ. It’s simply non-negotiable. Loving and serving God is not an “add-on” to one’s life; it is your life.
And when it comes to marriage, this foundational truth is essential to the kind of marriage that God designed.
In 2008, a Barna research study of divorce rates among those identifying as Christians reflected a higher rate of divorce than those who had no “religious” affiliation. However, upon a re-examination of this research, the “Christian” category included people who profess a belief system but do not live a committed lifestyle. But for those who were active in their church, the divorce rate was 27% to 50% lower than for non-churchgoers. Nominal Christians, that is, those who simply call themselves “Christians” but do not actively engage with the faith—are 20 percent more likely than the general population to get divorced.
There’s no magic formula here, but this bit of research gives some probability to what God has said all along: loving Him first, and others second, is foundational to the kind of life and marriage He has called us to.
There are so many things in our lives that compete for our affection. Good things certainly, but things nevertheless that contend for supremacy over God. Take some time now to consider what those things are in your life.
Reflect:
- As you reflect and identify those things that compete for first place in your life over your love for God, confess these to Him and ask for His help in empowering you to keep Him first.