Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Do you Really Love God?

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God and God in him. -- 1 John 4:16

I have a friend who is quick to tell anyone and everyone that she loves Jesus. She speaks of drawing closer to him in recent years. It sounds wonderful. The funny thing about it all is that she never seems to be prepared for Sunday school. Nor does she find time to do her Bible study homework.

I always chuckle to myself. We all know someone like her. Probably many someones. They love Jesus so long as they don't have to do anything about it. At least until they need Him. Then they're all about what He can do for them.

How do you know when you truly love someone? I'm not talking just about romantic love here. There is the love for children, for friends, for parents and siblings. So how do you know when love is present in your heart for someone else?

So you want to spend time with them? Do they occupy your thoughts? Do your words and actions demonstrate your love for them? Do others see that love? Do you enjoy your loved ones? These are just a few questions Beth Moore asked in her study Breaking Free.

See a lot of people say they love God. And maybe they do. More likely they think they do. They respect Him. They worship Him. They're grateful to Him. But do they love Him? Do you love Him?

Remember the questions. Think about your answers. If you love God, you want to spend time with Him. You want to study the Bible. You want to talk with Him and listen to what He has to say. Your words and actions reflect your love for God. No one has to ask if you're a Christian. Indeed, their only question should be how they can receive the light that radiates from you.

God wants us to really, truly love Him. He wants us to want to spend time with Him because we love Him. As He loves us. We love others because He first loved us. He is love. We are incapable of truly loving anyone else without first filling ourselves with God's love. It's His love in us that radiates out to the other people in our lives.

So just keep telling yourself that you really love God but just don't have the time to spend with Him. How sad for you. God is looking down, loving you with an unfailing love. He wants to fill you up with His love. But you have to stop making excuses and actually spend time with Him.