My Rule of Life

Yesterday, one of my five term projects was due. These five projects are the type that are designed to be worked on for the entire course, with one due every week for the last five weeks of the course. This first project... did not get started until yesterday afternoon, with a deadline of midnight. Needless to say I got it done, and I hope that I get a decent grade on it.

The project was designed for me to write a personal rule of life, a way of living in a committed relationship with Jesus Christ in the modern world. It was designed to include five different elements of living. I decided that all of my rules would be built around the concept of fidelity, or loyalty. Loyalty is a very sought and honorable trait, and I thought it fitting that my rule of life would fit around that idea. Here is my first rule of life, quoted from my paper:

"Fidelity to the Triune God

Scripture Reference: Mark 12:29-31: The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these."

This element is listed first because it is the most important in my rule of life. Fidelity to God is crucial to living an authentic life of devotion to God. Fidelity to God means putting God at the top of our list of priorities, and growing in an active and loving relationship with him. The best example of fidelity to God comes from a saying I heard from my Wife: When you don’t take time out of your day to grow in relationship with God, any insignificant, miniscule, unimportant thing you did in that day will be deemed as a higher priority than God. Fidelity to God is found in quality relationship building, by reading his word, doing his will, communicating thoughts and feelings in prayer, and praising and worshiping his name. One who does these things with humility and joy is living a life of Fidelity to God."

As I read this over again, I am drawn back again to the theme of putting God at the top of our list for priorities. This challenges me, because to put God at the top of the list means to think and see with the eyes of God, to feel the heart of God breaking in compassion for people, to be the hands and feet of God, to be the one to say "Here am I Lord, send me!" It is my hope that I can commit and maintain fidelity to my Lord.