Upward Training

Day 2

Loving the Lord with all our strength – engagement

Loving the Lord with all our strength means that our lives are fully engaged into loving the Lord.   

Think about where you give your most energy and effort and attention…undoubtedly vocation, school, family, are what come to your mind.  To learn how to love the Lord through these places of greatest engagement of your time and energy and heart is a key to loving the Lord with all your strength.  The Apostle Paul confirms this, right before going into a passage that specifically addresses family and vocation:

¹⁷ And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.                  Colossians 3:17

So the key question is “How do I live my life in Jesus’ Name?”  Let’s make it specific: What would it be like to…

Wake up

Eat

Drive

Ride the bus

Greet my spouse/siblings/friends/non-friends

Go to school

Work

Fufill my household duties

Watch television

Engage in my hobbies

Have a social life

Surf the internet

Etc.

…in Jesus’ Name? 

We really don’t need questions for further thought on this devotional.  Simply go back through the above extended question and consider what it would be like to live everyday life in Jesus’ Name.  It might be helpful to think of living in Jesus’ Name as follows:

Am I acting as Jesus’ ambassador, representative, conducting my life in a way that represents Him?

If at the end of a given day I gave Jesus a report of how I drove, worked, talked to my family, etc…would He sign off on it, give His approval?