Do we love?
Mat. 22:37, 38. Jesus said to him, ”You shall love the Lord your God with all your
heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself
Let’s talk about the second part of this first. We’re not supposed to take
vengeance or bear a grudge against our neighbor. We’re supposed to build up and not
tear down. We as people love ourselves and are at least somewhat self-centered. So
sometimes it gets difficult to follow this rule because then we have to put our wants
or needs on hold. But isn’t that exactly what the Lord would have us do. This is
a command from God that we are to look to the welfare of others. This can be a big
sacrifice, after all, let’s say you worked all day and someone calls up and needs
your help, it can be difficult to want to go and help. But shouldn’t we? And then
if we do it, we do it grudgingly and not with a cheerful heart. Let’s face it, we
all like are chill moments when we can just sit back and do nothing, and that is
great. But are we willing to sacrifice our own comfort so we can be a blessing to
others. James 2:15 -16 says that if a brother or sister are hungry and, or naked,
do we send them on their way with nothing and tell them to be blessed or do we bless
them with the things that they need. We must remember to love one another. And remember
it uses the term neighbor. Who is my neighbor? Jesus used a parable about this question
in Luke 10:29- 35 and He used a Samaritan. Samaritan’s were not exactly what you
would call friends with the Jews. So our neighbor is anyone in need.
The first part of this commandment is what I would like to focus on. We
are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, all our mind, and all our strength.
We are to love God with everything we have, our whole being. In 1 Cor. 15:12- 19
Paul talks about us wasting our time if only in this life we have hope and there
is no resurrection. I wondered about this. I thought to myself that if a person truly
did love Jesus and His righteousness then wouldn’t it be worth while even if we only
had this life in which to serve Him. When you think of all the great and good things
that God stands for then serving Him even if it was only in this life would absolutely
be worth it. Do we love God only because of what we get from Him or do we love Him
for who He is and for what He has done in bringing us from lives filled with bondage.
I thank God that there is a resurrection and we will have a life with God forever
in a place called heaven. I also think that as selfish and evil as we are we would
have a very difficult time serving God if it wasn’t for the gift of eternal life
that we receive at the end of our life on this earth. If it wasn’t for the gift we
wouldn’t take it as serious, and I agree that without eternal life it would be a
drag and I’m glad that we do have everlasting life with God. I also want to make
it clear that I fell in love with God because He first loved me. If God wouldn’t
have given me freedom from the bondages in my life I wouldn’t have ever known Him.
Jesus died for me because He loves me and through His death and by the power of His
blood I am set free so I am able to love Him.
1 John 4:19. We love Him because He first loved us.
You know, it’s not the fire of hell that scares me it’s the separation from the Father.
Being apart from God is what would truly be hell.
Mat 5:44 tells us to love our enemies.
John 15:13 says that there is no greater love than to lay down ones life for their
friends.
Paul says in chapter 13 of 1 Cor. That without love we are just a clanging cymbal
or sounding brass and that the greatest gift of all is love.
John 13:35 tells us that people will know that we are disciples of Jesus if we have
love one for another.
John 14:23. If anyone loves Me he will keep My word; and My Father will love him,
and We will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love Me does
not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Fathers who sent
Me.
John 15:9. As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you, abide in My love. If you
keep My commandments you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Fathers commandments
and abide in His love.
Wow, these are very deep words. It all begins with love. If we love God
then we will love His commandments and be doers and then we are abiding in His love.
I can’t explain it any better than what the scriptures do. It’s plain! To love God
is to obey God and that’s how we will get to know Him.
God bless, Kevin
