1 John 3:18 “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”
In meditating on Sunday Morning’s message, I have been asking myself one question: What keeps people from loving God will all their heart, soul and strength?
The answer is simple but it is also complex. The short answer is found in today’s verse; people claim to love God but fail to live out that love. I dare say that most people confuse the sliver of thanks and appreciation they feel towards God for salvation and the blessings bestowed upon them for love. They claim that they love God, but in actuality they are simply happy with what He has done for them.
Even those that do have a degree of love towards God often fail to manifest that love in deed and truth. However, love is measured in scale as is the temperature. It either is or it isn’t. A man cannot have two masters. You either love God or you do not.
That begs a new question: How does one kindle (and maintain) love towards God? The answer is “Do, Don’t say.”
1) Do Fear God - If you glimpse through The Word how great and powerful our God is, you will revere Him. Then, after realizing how limitless, holy, and majestic Jehovah truly is, you will be overcome with a feeling of unworthiness. Who am I that the One who spoke the countless galaxies into existence would love me with an everlasting love. Saying you fear God, and actually fearing God is the difference between one who rebels and one who submits.
2) Do Retain Humility - Every breath I take is because God allowed me to. Every trial I face is hand picked by God to bring glory to His name. Every day He renews His mercies towards me and loads me with benefits. I am nothing, He is everything. Lack of humility is the reason some think of God as an accessory to their life. God is not meant to refine the points of our life we are not happy with. Instead, we should love Him because by His grace we exist.
3) Do Aspire - Fearing God and maintaining Humility are not enough to claim an all
encompassing love for God. If you love Him you will keep His commandments. If you keep His commandments, you will be conformed to His image. Aspire to become the vessel of honor that God intends you to be. Even if you love God solely through Fear and Humility, neither of those fulfill the requirements of our text verse. Those requirements are to love in deed and truth. If love Him it is proven true by your deeds to become like Him. Without an aspiring desire to be as He is, you will never actually do it.
You should never have to tell someone else that you love God. Instead, it should be evident in the way you live. You cannot hide loving God with all that you are. When our deeds say that we love God, then it is true. You can fool man (for a time) by appearing to love God, but the only way you can perpetually do is if you perpetually love.
Your fellowservant in Christ,
Bro. Jordan Foster
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