The Importance of Loving Jesus

I ran across the following in a daily devotional from John Piper:

 “A great incentive to be authentic in our love to God is to recognize our best religious efforts duplicated in hell. Consider the “piety” of the demoniac in Luke 8:28:

When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beseech you, do not torment me.” (AT)

• The devil has religious insight: he recognizes Jesus as the Son of God. 
• The devil has a form of piety; he prays to Christ and entreats his benevolence: “Do not torment me!”
• The devil prays in a humble, contrite posture: “He . . . fell down before him.” 
• The devil prays earnestly and with expressions of deep feeling: “He cried out . . . and said with a loud voice.” 
• The devil uses humble expressions in his prayer: “I beseech you!” 
• The devil uses respectful and honorable designations for Christ: “Jesus, Son of the Most High God.” 

What is missing here? One thing: love for Christ. “

This made me stop and think and realize that my Christian walk is one of simplicity – loving Jesus.

If I’m not careful, I can complicate my walk with things I do. They can be good things, but if they’re not motivated by my love for Jesus, they’re meaningless.

My simple prayer: “Jesus, help me love you as you love me.”