Daily Affirmations - Day 7 - Free Indeed - From Love of the World

Day 7: From love of the world

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever (1 John 2:15-17).

---

...It is not improper to love the world as the work of God, and as illustrating His perfections... and it is not wrong that we should find pleasure in their contemplation...

It is not wrong to love the people of the world with a love of benevolence, and to have attachment to our kindred and friends who constitute a part of it...

We are not to fix our affections on worldly objects - on what the world can furnish - as our portion, with the spirit with which they do who live only for this world, regardless of the life to come.

We are not to make this world the object of our chief affection; we are not to be influenced by the maxims and feelings which prevail among those who do.

~ Barnes Notes on the Bible

---

We confess, Lord, that the world is too much with us— that we are caught up in its treacherous web of gaining and acquiring, indulging and squandering, consuming and depleting— getting and spending we lay waste our powers...[i]

Break the chains that bind us to love of the world and its counterfeit stores. Turn our eyes away from worthless things (Psalm 119:37).Turn our hearts away from the mind-numbing, reason-robbing, soul-dulling lure of entertainment and self-indulgence. Turn our desires away from Vanity Fair.[ii]  

Turn our feet away from the path of destruction (Matthew 7:13-14). Turn our gaze toward heaven, where Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Majesty on high (Hebrews 1:3).

For this world is quickly passing away, but the one who does Your will lives forever..

---

[i] ~ William Wordsworth, The World is Too Much With Us

[ii] John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress

---

Spirit of God, descend upon my heart;

Wean it from earth; through all its pulses move.

Stoop to my weakness, mighty as Thou art,

And make me love Thee as I ought to love.

Hast Thou not bid me love Thee, God and King?

All, all Thine own, soul, heart and strength and mind.

I see Thy cross; there teach my heart to cling:

Oh, let me seek Thee, and, oh, let me find!

Teach me to feel that Thou art always nigh;

Teach me the struggles of the soul to bear,

To check the rising doubt, the rebel sigh;

Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.

Teach me to love Thee as Thine angels love,

One holy passion filling all my frame;

The kindling of the heav’n-descended Dove,

My heart an altar, and Thy love the flame.

~ George Croly, 1854

Click here to read the main devotional theme