First Love

"You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?"- 1 Corinthians 3:3 (NIV).

Who is your first love? If an answer doesn't immediately spring from your lips, then ask yourself who should be your first love. I went through a period of being a jealous newlywed, which led to arguments and issues of trust. I'm not sure how it happened, but my source of love and happiness had moved from the Lord to my husband and Scripture is correct that jealousy can be cruel as the grave (Song of Solomon 8:6). If there is jealousy and quarreling in your life, someone has supplanted the One who should exclusively hold that position in your heart. As Christians, we are not to love the world or anything in the world more than God. "Anything" can mean position, power, prestige. Those are points of contentious jealousy, too. Worldly people, mere humans, do not love the Lord the way they should; they've forsaken Him (1 John 2:15). When asked what the greatest commandment was, Jesus replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength" (Mark 12:30). That's your First Love asking for your complete love; not a portion, not to share that position with someone or something else; but, wholly His: heart, soul, mind and body. Once I corrected my focus, all parts of my life fell back into their proper place. I know my husband was much happier too. Today's Scripture warns, if you are experiencing jealousy and quarreling, you are acting like a mere human. Remember who you are and Whom you belong to: You are the bride of Christ Jesus.