It seems to me that there are a lot
of us that go through the motions and either out of habit or commitment or duty
just do our devotions, just pray thoughtlessly, just attend grudgingly to the
things of God. I was thinking about this and decided that it would be
better to not do anything at all than to give this to God. This is luke
warm and He spits it out. To read our devotionals just to get through
them and be done for the day is a waste of time. If we only worship out
of habit what good does it do? Yes obedience is better than
sacrifice. But obedience out of an empty heart is disturbing to me.
When I think of my kids, sure I’d
rather that they obey me even if they are not doing it because they love
me. They needed to obey in order to be safe and to learn how to function
in this world. But it did nothing for me when it was like that. It
was a chore for all of us.
I can understand how God would tell
His children to obey for that reason. But I can also understand how He
would feel kind of apethetic towards us when we have no heart in our service
and worship to Him.
If I sing like angels, give, serve,
but have no love = it is worthless.
The beauty of the creation of God is
that everything is new every morning. Each day we have another opportunity
to get up and love God. How awesome is that?
Even though my head is killing me
right now I praise Him. It is not in spite of, or because of, or in any
way related to that. I love God. I love God because His love draws
me to Him.
If I think about it then all the
other rules are not even necessary when I love God with true love.
Rule #1 – love God with all my heart
mind and strength. OK. That covers it.
And just in case you (me) don’t get
that, there is Rule #2 – love your neighbor as yourself.
I could have gone all day without
that one. Measuring the selfishness that is in me makes me wonder how I
could love my neighbors that much.......
I like Rule #1 better. But
when I think about it, that is part of it too. To love God is to love
what He loves – which is everyone.
So it all boils down to Rule #1
again. Love God.
In light of this everything else
falls into place. Duty becomes adoration. Obligation becomes
satisfying selflessness. Service becomes high praise.
The ritual falls away and behold,
God becomes the center of the reason for life.
In Him we have our being.
Outside of Him there is nothing. To live in the love He gives us is to be
in the center of His will.
Obedience comes naturally out of
that love instead of the other way around.
If my children obey out of love for
me it is such a delight that I want to shower them with all I posess.
How it must feel for God to have His
children do the same for Him. Obedience out of love for Him is no longer
obedience but pure joy.
I long to bring a sparkle to His
eyes as He observes me going about life in love with Him and doing His will
without thought or plan, but simply because I am loved.
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