Affections reveal what we value. Spending our waking hours seeking after that which represents our personal desires, we will pursue with at least a portion of our heart those things which we hold dear.

God placed within us this hunger for fulfillment. He designed it that we would pursue the heart’s affections with our souls and strength. Therefore, as our wise Father, He commanded us to seek Him with the first and all of our deepest desires.

“Love the Lord Your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.” [Matthew 22:37]

First and foremost, before any thing or anyone else, love Him with all our hearts. To do so would anchor our hearts to the plumbline of Kingdom fulfillment. Seeking Him first, and His righteousness, would then position us to receive “all those things” which He would add. [Matthew 6:33]

Our pursuits, however, are often after “all those things” without first desiring Him. If it’s true that our basic need is to be loved and accepted, then how much of our energy is spent on ‘being accepted’ by those around us? How much time and affection is spent on the things of this world that pass away? Yet, if the compass of our hearts is set towards Him, our affections will stream toward Him.

Jesus’ heart compass was set on Father God, with His mind, will, and emotions in complete alignment. When our thoughts…our wills…and our emotions are corralled by what matters most to Him, then our lives are centered.

What do we use to jump-start our strength? What do we press to accelerate our forward motions? We look for inspiration in all the wrong places. That first cup of strong coffee … that scheduled day that begs our attention, out of which we find little satisfaction and lots of exhaustion. If we accelerate the wrong thing, our emotional response reveals that the day was miscalculated.

Who writes the script of our heart? Who determines what our hearts desire each day? There is One who is the Author and Finisher of our faith, who commands us, as preventative medicine, to love Him first. All else will then come into alignment.