Devotional Detour

I find it terribly ironic that one of the biggest distractions to our devotion to Jesus is our service to Him. 

There, I said it.  And, if I need to, I’ll say it again.

One of the biggest distractions to our devotion to Jesus is our presumed service to Him.

This is too weird.

We usually start off well enough.  Just like Martha.  But, somewhere along the way, something shifts, a slight change in focus, a barely-discernible pull that affects our priorities, and there we are, flustered, fuming and frustrated.

What the heck happened?!!

Apostle Paul had the same incredulous question to the Galatian believers:

Did somebody scrambled your brains?!! Did somebody put a hex on you?!! !Where is that sense of blessing you used to have?!!!

The sense of blessing… the awareness, the shocking recognition that God - GOD Himself! - loves me! Me?!!!

Nothing I did - or could ever do - to deserve this crazy affection. 

Everything I did - and continue to do - to 'undeserve' it!  And yet, He loves me still. When we recognize the marvel, we can't help but love Him back - it's that kind of love...  

Lord, I give You everything... Everything that I am, everything that I have, it's all Yours. I'll serve You with all my being all the days of my life...  

And serve we do.... Until, one Tuesday or Wednesday, the heartbreaking whisper, the Spirit-breath reaches our ear...

You... have left... your... first... love...... You... love... serving Me... more... than you... love... being... with Me... 

Paul warns Corinthians:

But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. 

Sadly, sooner or later, most of us tumble into the trap. So close, and yet, so sooo far away.