I like brussels sprouts, but I love oatmeal raisin cookies!

I can honestly say that I like Brussels sprouts. I will honestly eat of my Brussels sprouts and the go back for seconds, or thirds! But... if given the choice of eating Brussels sprouts or oatmeal raising cookies - I would eat the oatmeal raisin cookie every single time.

Compared to oatmeal raisin cookies, it would appear as though I hate Brussels sprouts... and that's just not true. I really like Brussels sprouts.

Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:25-27, ESV)

Jesus isn't literally telling us to hate our parents, our spouses, our children or ourselves. He's saying that we should love God more than we love these things... It's like given the choice of oatmeal raisin cookies and Brussels sprouts. If we have to choose between God and anything else, we should choose God, every single time.

What does this mean? How do we live this out? That's the challenge...

Are there times when I feel the nudging of God's Holy Spirit and my feeling override it? Are there times when my spouse would rather read a book than take time to pray? Are there times when my child has a sports event and I opt to cheer for them in a way that pales in comparison to the way I worship God - so I go to the game instead of church on a Sunday morning?

The list goes on... this week, let us try to love God more than we love anything/anyone else.