Our Best Interest is God’s Interest

“Everyone has noticed how hard it is to turn our thoughts to God when everything is going well with us… While what we call ‘our own life’ remains agreeable, we will not surrender it to Him. What, then, can God do in our interests but make ‘our own life’ less agreeable to us and take away the plausible sources of false happiness?” ~ C.S. Lewis

Here are two essential questions to ponder:

1. What interests You?
2. What interests God?

What does interests you? Is it money, power, glory, prestige, education, knowledge, sports, hobbies, family, friends, etc.?

Now let’s ask another question, what interests God?

According to Scripture, there are three key things:

1. Justice
2. Righteousness
3. Shalom/Peace.

Are any of your interests the same as God’s, or are you primarily living for your self-interests?

Lastly, is God interested in anything at all you have going on?

God created humankind for a relationship, which means that God desires nothing more than to be in a relationship with you and the rest of the world. Since God created you for a relationship, it would make sense that God experiences joy in many things that interest you, similar to how a parent experiences joy watching their children engage their interests.

God desires a relationship with the world, excluding no one. God has everyone’s best interest at heart. God wants no one ever to be hungry, thirsty, homeless, abused, oppressed, marginalized, or suffer in any fashion. What interests God is justice, righteousness, and shalom/peace for all people all the time.

God asks us to put God’s interest first and foremost in our lives; why?

Why is it imperative to understand and commit ourselves to the idea that our best interest is God’s interest?

A person once asked Jesus, “what is the greatest commandment?”  ³⁷ He replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, and with all your mind. ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: You must love your neighbor as you love yourself. ⁴⁰ All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.” (Matthew 22:37-40 CEB)

God’s interest is that we live as one body, one community, and not only for ourselves. God’s interest has never been the individualism we witness and experience today in our culture. God’s interest centers on everyone living together as one and making sure that every person experiences justice, righteousness, and peace. (Acts 4:32-37) We must never exclude anyone; everyone interests God, not just a few chosen people and nations.

Lord of all creation, thank you for the freedom of choice. You never force me to put my interests in line with yours; I must decide for myself. Please help me discover an interest in what interests You. Please remove the scales of individualism that blind me from my fellows. I understand today I can’t serve what I don’t see. Today I choose to surrender my life over to You; please help make Your interests my interests now and for eternity. In Your Spirit and Name, I pray these things. May Your will not mine always materialize, now and forever. Amen.