Throwback Thursday – What Love Is This?

Today for Throwback Thursday we are looking at a post by Josephine-Anne Griffiths

Recently I felt the need to question my loves and loyalties.
Yes, I do love … passionately.

I love Jesus. I love my husband, my children and grandchildren, my nieces and nephews, brother, sister, my parents, aunties and uncles, my whole family, and all my delightful friends. And I like to think I am loyal to all these wonderful people.

I also love lots of ‘things’ of this earth … books, music, fresh air, the sounds of nature, the smell of freshly baked bread or cake. But do I truly love the One who created all of this? Do I fully appreciate Him? Do I put Him first?

I thought I did. But maybe I only give Him preference sometimes. Sometimes when it is convenient. Sometimes when I remember or want something. Sometimes when I am not so obsessed with doing my own thing.

A recent sermon at my church got me thinking …

Am I truly a part of God’s Kingdom, or am I still trying to manage my own kingdom here on earth?

“All of the kingdoms that we as humans set up here on earth will fail. They will fail because they are based upon earthly, human values.”
~ Elevation Church, Penrith

So, with all this love in mind, I’m thinking about writing. Is it truly so important that I become a ‘published author’? Well, in fact, I have already achieved this, just not a whole book … not yet. But what if I never publish that whole, completed novel or book?

I would love to finally finish my book, but what if I never published it? Would it matter? It would probably matter to me, but more importantly, would God mind?

So that is the crux of it all. Is what I am writing the will of the Lord, or some trumped up piece of fiction (or creative non-fiction) to satisfy my own pride?

Ah yes, I MUST put God first in everything … always. 
I must be a cheerful giver …always.

Whether I am doing my mundane daily chores, playing or celebrating with friends or family, weeding and watering my garden, or writing what I think should be the next New York Times bestseller, none of these things matter or have any power in my life if I am not doing what God wants me to be doing.

It doesn’t matter whether I am able to find that elusive agent or publisher for my work of art. If it is not His work of art, it means nothing. What matters is that what I write, is what God has put on my heart to write. Whether I write for myself in a wholesome, healing way, or write to share with others, the ONLY thing that matters is that my words are God’s words. If my life plan isn’t His plan for my life, everything I do in life would be futile.

Then there is this little voice inside my head saying – but I could easily (or not so easily) publish my own work … couldn’t I?

True, but I want my words to touch people’s hearts. I want my words, written or spoken to honour His loving heart. So published, unpublished and waiting in the wings, or written just for me, what matters most is that what I’ve written or indeed done in life is for His glory and not my own.

What love IS this? Love of myself and selfish pride of my accomplishments?

Or do I love Him and am grateful for the gifts He has given to me, to be shared with others?

How about you? If you are published, how important was it to you? Did you put God first? Why?

If like me, you haven’t published that fabulous book yet, how important is that?

What would happen if you did not?