Loving God first

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. —Psalm 63:1–3

We all know caregiving is about love. But sometimes it’s just impossible. How are we to love those we care for wholeheartedly when the relationships we have with them are so strained? How are we to love others selflessly when we ourselves are angry, frustrated, and tired? Let’s see w hat Jesus says about love. The greatest commandment, our Lord says, is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all

your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). Then comes the second: “Love your neighbour as yourself ” (Matthew 22:39). This is the “double-love” command, on which our entire caregiving journey should be based. The order of the two commands indicates that our love for others must be the natural outflow of our love for God. Only by committing ourselves to our loving God are we then able to serve, love, forgive, and care for others.

What do es it mean to love God? It means knowing Him, worshipping and praising Him, putting Him first in everything we do, desiring His presence in our lives, and obeying Him. In practical terms, it means spending time in His Word and in prayer; making Him the first priority and centre of our lives; submitting our will, desires, and passions to Him; and obeying His commands. King David, the man whom God himself called “a man after his own heart”, described his love for God as a “thirst” for his Lord’s presence. God’s love, he wrote, was “better than life” itself, for it satisfied him more than the “richest of foods” (Psalm 63:1–5). So let lov e for God overwhelm your heart. Let it engulf your soul. Let it captivate you so much that it possesses your emotions, your mind, and your actions. When this happens, you will find yourself taking on

the nature of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, and pouring out your life in service to others. Your love for Him will shape the way you see His children—whether they are lovely or not. As you learn to love God, you will become the person God intends you to be: fully loving those whom God entrusts into your care, and becoming the true caregiver He intends you to be.

Lord Jesus, sometimes I struggle to love those I care for. But I know You are the God of love, and You desire that I love You. Fill me, I ask today, with love for You. Overwhelm me with a desire for Your presence in my heart, for I know that out of this love will flow a love for others.

How can we learn to love others? By learning to love God first.