Marriage and Family Meditations XLIV (44)
Psalm 104:34 May my meditation be sweet to Him; I will be glad in the LORD.
Cornerstone Ministries Napa Valley
Marriage–Christ and the Church
Life is for Loving God
Dear Family and Friends,
As I was driving from Cotati to Napa today and thinking about loving God, it became so clear again that the Bible teaches us that the most important aspect of life for those who are called God’s people is to have a right relationship with Him, (loving Him with all of our heart, soul, strength and mind) as He our Creator loves us. And also that we His people love each other, as He our Creator loves us. We were created to have a loving relationship with our Heavenly Father, and to love each other because we are His creation. This relationship was His design and purpose from the beginning. God is preparing us now for an eternal relationship of oneness and love with Him in the Lord Jesus.
The Bible teaches us that this is to be the identifying characteristic of God’s people, for all who believe in and follow Jesus. Loving God is accomplished by choosing to obey Him, and follow His commands and teaching.
John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments”.
John 14:21 “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
John 13:34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another”
John 15:12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”
John 15:17 “These things I command you, that you love one another.”
1Pe 1:22 “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart.”
The Bible teaches us that it is only through faith in Jesus the Son of God that we can be reconciled to our Creator God and be restored to a loving relationship with Him. John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
Then, as a result of believing in and following Jesus, the one true identifying characteristic and behavior of God’s people is that they are learning to love God with all their heart, soul, strength and mind, and to love their neighbors as themselves. That love is manifested (put into action) by obedience to God’s word.
Let us remember that love is not a profession, nor necessarily regular church attendance or religious observances. Love is a life style, a demonstration in word and deed of the godly passion of a believer’s heart for the Lord and for others. Love is carried out in the moment by moment issues of life. Love is revealed in our submission to the leading and Lordship of God in Jesus, when we do His will by seeking loving fellowship with Him, with one another, and by allowing His Spirit to teach us to love others as we love ourselves.
I hope that as we have looked at these passages and meditated on them that the Lord will stir our hearts more and more with the passion of our Lord Jesus to love as He loves and to be moved to the good works that God has prepared and called us to.
May each of us begin this new year with renewed hearts of passion and zeal for loving and obeying the Lord, and caring for and loving our brothers and sisters in the church, and for the lost around us and in the world.
Love and Blessings in our Lord Jesus for the new year ahead, Vince