When I first fell in love with my wife I found myself doing all kinds of things that were completely novel to me. I suddenly had an interest for Italian restaurants (the dining preference of her and her parents), I was surprisingly tuned in to the 1996 Olympic gymnastics events (yes fellas, I said “gymnastics”), and I even proudly attended a figure skating performance at the Palm Beach Auditorium. Even the TV remote seemed to end up on her favorite shows.
What was happening? I was in LOVE.
Then something went awry for my bride after the honeymoon… I seized the remote control. I reverted back to my personal interests monopolizing the TV with NASCAR, football, cage fighting, deadly shark attacks, and Sanford and Son reruns (old school baby!).
The honeymoon was over!!!
I was reminded of that transition in our lives recently while reading a passage in 1 John.
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” – 1 John 2:15-17
John is warning 2nd generation Christians that the world will always compete with the Father’s love in us. The allurement of the world’s charm will intensely rival our affinity with God’s will. He warns us to not let the lust of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, or the pride of life to violate the Father’s will for our lives.
As mentioned, when I first started dating Cindy I had a natural affinity with her interests. What was important to her was important to me. I believe it’s the same in our relationship with God. When we first become a Christ-follower our heart is after what is important to Him. When we take back the remote control and pursue our own interests and place his name on it, the honeymoon is over. That’s the case when we allow the Father’s love in us to be eroded by our own appetites for worldly pleasure.
If I am to be full of the Father’s love I must surrender the remote control. To be in love with the Father is to be in love with what pleases Him – not me.