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Loving God


Love the Lord your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always. (Deuteronomy 11:1)
If you love me, keep my commands. (John 14:15)
          In the third conversation with brother Lawrence, he remarked that “some people go only as far as their regular devotions, stopping there and neglecting love, which is the purpose of those devotions.” 
          Just as a married couple can go through a day communicating about the business of their lives without actually taking time to love each other, so it is possible for a Christian to go through day after day, even days with quiet times, without loving and therefore obeying God. It is equally possible to obey God without loving Him. I think we’re all guilty of this much of the time, because we don’t know any better or because even knowing we can do nothing else unless God helps us. 
          Loving God isn’t about our feeling good. It’s not about a heart that flutters at the mention of His name. It’s not getting caught up in beautiful music. It’s not about being a fan of who God is or what He does. I’ve been accused of being negative about love, but I tend to think that real love begins when we reach the end of easy, fun, pretty love. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with feeling our love for God, or God’s love for us, but if the focus is on our feelings, it’s not on God.
          Like so many things, the question of what is and isn’t real love vexes me. With this subject in mind as I took my walk this morning, the two big thoughts that came to mind were, “I love You, Lord, help me in my lack of love,” and “I can do no better  unless You help me, Lord.”

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