Loving God (ESV)

Loving God isn’t much different than loving in any other relationship. We often want to place God in a less personal category due to His physical distance or our inability to hear His voice or see Him. But God desires the same as any other suitor: for us to know Him better. What do you know about God? Our initial experience with God is usually a Savior because we come to Him hoping that He will fix our problem. However, God first expresses Himself to us as our Creator, not just in the Bible’s book of Genesis, but when we were conceived (Jeremiah 1:5). He takes an interest in us long before we are conscious of His existence. As our Creator, He knows more about our purpose and our happiness then we can even imagine. He knows not simply what makes us happy but what can make our happiness better. He is uniquely qualified to love you the way you need to be loved. Do you love God? Returning love to God would be easier if we could love Him the way we feel like loving Him. Loving anyone that way would be more convenient. We wouldn’t have to consider anyone’s needs, wants, likes, and dislikes. But if you really love someone, you take the time to learn everything about them and your goal is to make them happy. How can we make God happy? Without faith it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6). God takes pleasure in those who do what is right (1Chronicles 29:17). He keeps company with those that desire to do what He says and follow His instructions (John 14:23). It brings God joy to anticipate you in heaven with Him (Luke 12:32, John 14:2). God loves you, but unreciprocated love is rejection. Seeking a relationship with God is the best thing you will ever do. Dear God, Thank you for your love. Teach me how to love you, too. Amen WHAT IF YOU LOVED GOD? It seems like a silly question. Responding with a resounding I DO is easy. However, true love manifests itself in our actions: Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and mani- fest myself to him. John 14:21 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27 Loving God is also demonstrated in how we treat other people: He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.” John 21:17 Jesus is the best example of how to love: We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19 GOD BLESS!!