Chapter 32
Loving the Lord

While making a truckload delivery the other day, I noticed a security guard reading the sides of my truck, upon which I have printed both scripture and scriptural truths. I asked him, “Do you read God’s word?” He said, “I work seven days a week and have no time to read God’s word, but I have God here in my heart.”

I cannot judge the man’s heart, or be discerning of his individual walk. Still though, sometimes I wonder how people who say they love the Lord define ‘love.’ Do they love Him because he is God? Because He is the creator? Because they think they are supposed to? Do they love Him because they have been told all of their lives that God loves them? That God is a God of love? The concept of “Since God loves me, then I love Him too,.” really has nothing to do with Loving God as it does loving ones self. All too often people claim to love God not for who God is, or what God is, but love Him because of what they have been told about God. Perhaps they love particular attributes of God concerning His kindness and goodness, and not God as a being. But God is not just a God of Love, He is a God of anger as well, and wrath, of judgment and burning. A God that is righteous and Holy.

Millions of people are on the pathway to being a Christian. Some are just entering onto the path, and some are well on their way. Some have more knowledge and maturity than others, some are more committed. Some are just ‘flirting’ with the idea of Christianity, while some are very mature in the faith. Those that are further along the path should be encouraging to those that are not; and those just entering the path should be open to instruction. All too often though, those who have received knowledge they wish to share, are perceived as being condemning of those who have not attained the same understandings as they have been given; while those with whom knowledge is being shared with feel condemned or rejected. Rather than 'lifting up,' their words often either harm or discourage others. The danger to those on the ‘path towards’ Christianity, is when, because of false doctrine, seekers are told they are ‘finders’ and proclaim those on any portion of the path are already ‘born again Christians,’ and thereby ending their journey.

Thus, there are millions that claim to love God, but then go about living their own lives their own way, and are still partakers of the sins of this world. Neither reading nor understanding God’s word or what pleases Him (or just as importantly ‘displeases Him’), they hold the belief that they ‘love God’ as they continue partaking in the sins that are common to man. But our idea of loving God, and God’s definition of loving Him are two different things.

We might hold the precepts of the goodness of God that we have heard about, and consider our love for the ‘rightness’ of God as love for God. But God’s definition of love for Him… is obedience to Him.

One of the many signs of love, is a desire to please the one we love. This is true in both the earthly and the spiritual senses. If a person loves God, then they should certainly seek to please Him. So how can we please, and therefore show love to one that we know little about?

Defining ‘Love for God’

Jesus gave us many commandments, in that a command is anything he tells us to do. The moral and ethical purity of what God requires of us is restated by the Lord in the new testament as well as a summation of many of those commands into two. Not only in the written word, but the Lord, as indwelling spirit, also directs us with individual gifts and callings, functions for us to do in this world. So not only are we to keep His word, but we are to also yield ourselves to be led by His spirit, for whatever His purpose happens to be. But Jesus, defines our love for Him in John 14:21;

“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me.”

In fact, John 14: 21-24 makes it more clear:

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

Those that claim to love the Lord yet continue to live their lives apart from obedience to God’s Word and His commands are deceived. Living according to self will rather than God’s will shows the difference of head knowledge of what we perceive of God, and the heart knowledge of God that seeks only to obey and please Him.

Loving God is demonstrated by commitment and obedience. It is shown by applying God’s word and principles to our everyday lives and allowing His Word and principles to govern our thoughts and our actions.