I Love the Lord!
The word love stirs up a lot of different emotions, ideas, opinions, and definitions. It seems like the whole world is either searching for it or sick of it. Christians are the only group of people with a solid definition of what it actually is.
1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 says love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, boastful or proud. It doesn’t dishonor others. It’s also not easily angered nor does it keep record of wrongs. It doesn’t delight in evil, but rejoices in truth! It always protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres. Most of all, love never fails. This is a pretty high standard. Only the Lord could possibly fulfill this definition in its purest form.
1 John 4:19 says we love God only because He loved us first. This is only one of so many examples of the depth of God’s love for us. It’s more than we can comprehend, which could be why so many struggle with the plague of doubt. The Lord is not One who will throw you out of His family if you fall down or make a mistake. Once you believed that He is your Savior, and have made Him the Lord of your life, He promises He will never leave you. The enemy doesn’t want you knowing that, or believing it. But God’s love for us is so great and powerful, it can turn people’s hearts at the very last second of life. We cannot outrun His love.
Once we have that personal experience with the Lord, getting to know Him by watching how He works in our lives, there’s no way to not love Him. It develops as we get to know Him more, and it’s where the unexplainable joy comes from. The joy and peace we have when faced with difficult trials. The hope we have in what is still to come.
As with any relationship, it takes work. This means getting deeper into the personal, intimate time with Him. Having fellowship with His people. Reaching out to those who don’t know Him. Sacrificing your time for others. Sacrificing your time for Him. We are so wrapped up in social media and entertainment in our culture. Instead, set it aside. Give Him that time, uninterrupted. Talk to Him, learn about Him. Surrender to Him. He with astonish you, and you will be able to say with all joy and sincerity, “I love the Lord!”
We are always praying for you. We love y’all and we’re saving you a seat at Community Family Church!
Pastor Tom
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