Is there a way to know whether we love God or not? Is there some measure by which we must abide that will determine that we are indeed lovers of God? Is there some feat that we must accomplish that will give us the status or crown that we are God lovers? We have already learned that God loves us, but do we really love Him? Do we have Him as the priority in our lives, and do we now we live our lives governed under His mighty hand? Today John the apostle brings us all to the answers to these questions and more in the book of First John chapter five and verse three. He wrote:
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
John has been teaching us a lot about the love that God has toward us and the love we should have for one another. In this fifth chapter of First John he now directs his attention to the relationship between the law of God and the love of God. It appears that what we do reveals our true state. If we love God, we will keep His commandments. Jesus Himself said it this way in the book of the gospel of John in chapter fourteen and verse fifteen:
If ye love me, keep my commandments
There is indeed a direct connection between our love for God and keeping His commands. Love is exacting. It is demanding. Love doesn't say just do any old thing we desire. It has boundaries. It has rules. For example, which of these is love: Allowing a child to play anywhere he or she desires even if it is in a busy street or a bear cage full of bears, or saying “you cannot play in the street, and I will not allow you to go into that bear cage?” Oh the child may think the parent is mean because the parent will not allow total autonomy, however, the parent knows the potential dangers that are in those places. The parent has rules, limitations, boundaries because the parent loves the child, and the parent knows better.
Do we have such a loving relationship with God that we desire to keep his commandments? Can we with our finite minds understand that God has our best interest in mind when He limits us, directs us, shares rules or commandments with us? Perhaps if we come from this perspective we shall better understand the latter part of John's verse today, “and his commandments are not grievous.” When we truly realize how much our Heavenly Father loves us, keeping His commands will be an honor rather than a chore for which we never seem to fulfill. May God's Spirit lead us, guide us, and help us to keep His commands and be in love with Him.
Next time we will learn how we can be victorious in the world, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow...there is more...
Look for the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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