Pastoral Reflection for July
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Deuteronomy Chapter 6 verse 5
Israel at this point were standing at the borders of the Promised Land. Moses is preparing them for entry. The preparation has to be spiritual first of all, otherwise every effort is doomed to failure. Allegiance to the Lord has to be the number one priority-and that is the same for ourselves too. God requires that we love Him with all our heart. God requires to be on the throne of our heart. So, I want us to think a little about this love and how it manifests itself our lives.
God’s love is born into our heart the moment we are regenerated. The moment God, through His Spirit, touches our lives, breathing new life into us, something radical and life changing takes place. It is impossible for God to come into our life and for us not to know it. That doesn’t mean that a person who is converted, immediately has full assurance of faith and knows they are born again. Sometimes the experience may be long and drawn out from our perspective. However an interest and desire for God and the things of God has surfaced in our life. Prior to this there may have been thoughts of God, even good thoughts, but they were fleeting and temporary. Now the heart is genuinely seeking after God and desiring to know more of Him. A love has been born in our heart and that comes from God. The Bible tells us how it works. “We love Him because He first loved us.” That tiny statement is packed with deep eternal truths. The love we experience for God has come about only because of His love to us. What does God’s love mean and how does it work in our lives?
(1)This love implies knowledge. You cannot believe in or love someone you don’t know. However, our ever increasing knowledge of who God is and what He has done for us causes us to love Him all the more
(2) This love produces real thankfulness in our hearts. We so often reflect on where we were-“without God and without hope in this world”- and where we have been taken to,-“took me from a fearful pit and miry clay and set my feet upon a rock establishing my way.” We often think about the future He has promised us. We are heirs to the most glorious inheritance. God is giving us this inheritance to share with His Son. Isn’t that amazing? “Heirs and joint heirs with Christ.” When we reflect on His presence with us, protection of us and promises to us we cannot but have hearts full of loving thankfulness.
(3)This love is Powerful. It’s a love of energy. It propels us on and pushes us forward. This is the Love that enables us to serve the Lord willingly and to suffer for His sake. As Paul says, “The love of Christ constrains me.”
(4) It is a Liberal love. God’s love always opens up the heart. God is the most liberal giver in the whole universe, so when God’s love enters our souls we cannot but have loving hearts. Hearts that are compassionate and caring. Hearts that are tender and merciful. Hearts that want the best for everyone.
(5) It is a Permanent Love. Although the love in our heart waxes and wanes it will never disappear. God’s love is always the same, as He is free from change, but that not so with us. Some days our love for the Lord is intense. We love everything, and everyone that belongs to the Lord. Sadly there are days when we are not like that. However, the wonderful thing is, that the love in our heart will never vanish or be finally extinguished.
(6) It is a courageous love. We often see people who are timid and retiring by nature able to do great things for the Lord. They are often surprised at themselves, but the Lord’s love gives a holy boldness to serve.
There are times though, when we do question if we really love the Lord. How do I know? I suppose we can say this love must evidence itself in our heart and lives.
(a) God will often be in our thinking. When you love someone you often think about that person. That is how we are with our family. We are always thinking about them. If God’s love is in our heart we cannot but think about Him. It is the very opposite with the unbeliever- “God is not in all his thoughts.” The believer though is different, as our mind so often goes to God and the things of God. As David says, “When I awake I am still with you.”
(b) Love doesn’t just think about; love wants to be with. You long for real fellowship and communion. To know the intimate closeness of His presence. You want His Word to fill your soul. “My heart and flesh cries out for the living God.”
(c) In a strange way our love for the Lord is also shown by sorrow. When you love someone you feel bad when you hurt them or do something wrong. This is also so true regarding the Lord. The more you love the Lord the more sorrow you will experience in your heart, because of your sin against Him. Remember Peter’s great confession, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Sadly Peter, not long afterwards was to say of Jesus, “I do not know the man.” Peter’s great denial broke Peter’s heart because he so loved Jesus. This sorrow for our sin against the Lord is evidence of our love for Him. Like David we say, “Against You, You only I have sinned.”
While there are many other things we could say-in conclusion our love for the Lord, and evidence of His love for us is seen by our loving everything that is the Lord's. We love His Name, His Honour, His Cause, His Word, His House, His Day, His People. This love is shown also by our longing for the Lord’s return, “Even so come Lord Jesus.”
I pray God will bless every one of you, and all you love.
Love and prayers, Kenny
Photo by Mandy von Stahl on Unsplash
