LOVE THE LORD MORE THAN FAMILY
The Scriptures reveal that the Lord God created mankind to have a loving relationship with them, and for them to glorify God (Genesis 1:27; 3:8; Colossians 1:16).But the first people created separated themselves from God by mutually disobeying him; and they were facing death and eternal separation from God. However, God sacrificed his only Son to atone for their sins, and the sins of their descendants; and to redeem them to God (1 Peter 1:18-20; Revelation 18:8). Our creator and redeemer would have us: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37-39).
He desires us to love God more than anything else, including even the closest member of our family. The Bible gives us examples of people’s comparative love for God and family to teach us the importance of loving God more than family.
ADAM IS AN EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE WHO LOVES THEIR COMPANION MORE THAN THEY LOVES THE LORD:
Genesis 3 reveals that Adam, the first man, had more love for his wife Eve than for God. God told Adam and Eve not to eat from a tree in the middle of the Garden of Eden lest they die the day they ate from it. Eve was deceived by a serpent in the Garden and ate from the forbidden tree. When Eve handed Adam fruit which God told them not to eat, Adam was not deceived, but he ate the fruit Eve gave him instead of obeying the Lord. Because of their sins both were separated from God the day they disobeyed God (1 Timothy 5:6); and they died spiritual, while the process of physical death and eternal separation from God was set in motion (Hebrews 9:27).
Yet, God, in his great love, did not abandon Adam and Eve and their descendants. God planned before he created Adam and Eve to redeem mankind through the atoning death of his Son Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Revelation 13:8).
The Bible tells us, when Jesus Christ, came to die for the sins of mankind: “ You were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:1-5).
ELI IS AN EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE WHO LOVES THEIR CHILDREN MORE THAN THEY LOVES THE LORD.
God’s priest Eli had to sons whose sins were “very great in the Lord’s sight, for they[a] were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt;” and “they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.” Eli “heard about everything his sons were doing.” But Eli did not stop them. ”The Lord asked Eli, Why do you honor your sons more than me.” (1 Samuel 2).
Then the Lord revealed to his prophet Samuel that “I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain them. 14 Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’” (1 Samuel 3:11-14).
“‘And what happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be a sign to you—they will both die on the same day.
11 And the Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. 12 At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. 13 For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain them. 14 Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’” (1 Samuel 3:11-14).
When Israel was at war, a man brought news to Eli, telling him, “Israel fled before the Philistines, and the army has suffered heavy losses. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.”
18 When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man, and he was heavy (1 Samuel 4:17-18).
Eli might have saved his family and himself from the Lord’s pending judgment by repenting and correcting his children. “The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love” (Psalm 103). “Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them” (Isaiah 55:7).
The Word of God says all Scriptures “were written for our learning” (Romans 15:4).
Today, someone might fail to obey God like Eli did; but our Lord who loves us enough to die for us, says: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
ABRAHAM IS AN EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE WHO LOVES GOD MORE THAN THEY LOVES THEIR FAMILY:
The Lord had said to Abram: “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you…So Abram went, as the Lord had told him” (Genesis 12:1-4).
At another time, God tested the love and faith of Abraham even more. God told Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac to God on an altar. Abraham built an altar, and was about to slay Isaac on the altar, when an angel of the lord stopped him. God provided Abraham with a lamb to sacrifice instead. God then told Abraham that because he was willing to sacrifice his beloved son to God, the Lord would surely fulfill the promises he made to Abraham of making him a blessing to all nations through his son Isaac and his offspring (Genesis 22:1-18).
Furthermore, the Lord fulfilled his promise to Abraham that he would be “father of many nations” (Genesis 17:5). Through Abraham’s offspring, Jesus Christ, the people of the world have been blessed with being saved from their sins (Matthew 1:John 3:16).
Jesus Christ said Abraham “rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad” ( John 8:56).
JESIS IS OUR “PERFECT” EXAMPLE OF HOW WE SHOULD LOVE OUR LORD GOD MORE THAN OUR FAMILY OR ANYTHING ELSE.
Jesus always [did] the things that are pleasing to [his Father]” (John 8:29).
Jesus showed that he loved God more than family or anything else. He came his own Jewish people; but when some did not receive him; he went on to carry out God’s will by giving those who received him “the right to become children of God” (John 1:11-12), Even when his earthly father and mother questioned him about being away from them, he answered, “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”
Jesus loved his heavenly Father, and his earthly family, enough to sacrifice his life to please his Father; and to die for the sins of world of people who did not believe in and obey him.
Although the Lord created families to love one another and have especially close bonds; Jesus said: “Anyone who loves their father or mother…son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:37).
Jesus Christ died to save us from our sins; and wants us to love him as he loves us. And he has given us the Holy Spirit to enable us as his obedient believers to love him more than family or anything else (John 14:15-17).
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who said the second most important thing is to love others (including family) as he has loved us. But the most important thing is to: “love the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind” (Matthew 22: 37-39).
