The great American statesman and lawyer William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925) was having his portrait painted. The artist asked, "Why do you wear your hair over your ears?"
Bryan responded, "There is a romance connected with that. When I began courting Mrs. Bryan, she objected to the way my ears stood out. So, to please her, I let my hair grow to cover them."
"That was many years ago," the artist said. "Why don’t you have your hair cut now?"
"Because," Bryan winked, "the romance is still going on."
Is the romance still going on in our relationship with Jesus? When we first came in faith to Christ, we experienced the joy of knowing our sins were forgiven and we were adopted into His family. Our hearts were full and overflowing with love for the Lord. We longed to please Him.
As time passed, however, the zeal of our first love may have begun to cool. That’s why we need to take to heart the words of Jude in his brief letter. He wrote, "Keep yourselves in the love of God" (v.21). Jesus used similar terms when He said, "Abide in My love" (John 15:9-10). We nurture that love when we focus on pleasing Him instead of ourselves.
Keep the romance going. – DAVID C. EGNER
"Keep yourselves in the love of God"
Is what He says to do;
Feeding on His Word each day,
You’ll find His love anew. – HESS
READ: Jude 17-23
To renew your love for Christ, review His love for you.