Love God?

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Jesus answered, “All who love me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them. My Father and I will come to them and live with them." (John 14:23)

Love Jesus? Then we will obey ALL of his teachings. Love Jesus? Then we can be assured of his heavenly Father's love for us, as well. Love Jesus? He dwells within you and is ever-present with you through all of life's journeys. We probably live somewhere between totally believing these things and 'kinda' believing them (in a selective way). The more 'selective' we are in believing these truths, the more we will struggle with understanding and living within God's love.

God isn't selective in who he loves. He loves the whole world - even those who don't know him yet. He provides for their salvation - even though they don't realize they need it. He pursues them with his intense love - even though they have no idea they are 'under pursuit'. If God isn't 'selective' in his love, then how can we 'discount' his love toward us? We cannot! His love embraces us - his Son's shed blood redeems us. The more we trust those words, the more we draw near to his heart. 

Love leads to obedience - not begrudgingly because we feel 'we have to' be obedient, but as an act of demonstrated love toward him. Love is best demonstrated - just as God demonstrated it to the world by sending Jesus to be the perfect sacrifice for mankind's sins. We demonstrate our love for God in our actions of willing obedience. Is it always easy to take these actions? Sometimes it is, but there are times when an act of obedience might conflict a bit with our pride or 'heart desire'. When that happens, we might just struggle with those steps of obedience God asks of us. Does this surprise him? No, because he is using that request for obedience as a way of showing us where we are still holding onto something he wants us to let go of!

When God asks us to let go of something that is a 'heart desire' or a matter of our own selfish pride, is he being unjust? Not at all. He is being a loving father that looks out for the best interests of his child. There is question he loves us immensely - there should also be no question he knows exactly what we need to become the best we can be! Just sayin!

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