Show your love for Him
This we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments, And His commandments are not burdensome. 1 John 5:2 & 3
This is where we show our true expression of our love for our Heavenly Father. By loving His children (all believers) and keeping His commandments. I have often struggled with the keeping His commandments part in this scripture. Not because I didn’t’ want to, but because other new testament scriptures say that in Christ Jesus we have been make free for the “old testament law”. However, Jesus gave us a new commandment and that was to love each other. Now I realized that keeping His commandments is the result of loving Him. It’s all about my relationship with Him not a set of rules. Jesus wants to have a love relationship with us, He wants to be our best friend. He is saying, “if you love me like you love your best friends, it will result in you keeping my Word (commandments)!” Not only that, it will not be burdensome to you. It isn’t about works because it isn’t work when you’re in love.
Since then I heard it explained as a marriage relationship in that a husband and wife are faithful to each other because of the love they share for one another. It’s not because they are keeping an agreement they made when they got married. Although they made that agreement, they want to keep it because they treasure, value, and love each other more than all others and have a close relationship with one another. When my husband asks me to do something for him, I may not always enjoy the task so much, but I enjoy doing it for him because he is so precious to me. I’m not all about “what am I getting out of it”. Because of the love we share, I look forward to the things I get to do for him because it is helpful or just makes him happy and he does the same for me.
Here are some practical things you can do to grow and protect your personal relationship with your Lord Jesus.
• Nurture and protect your relationship with the Lord like a most valuable treasure. Just like you do with all your other close relationships, you watch over them, not trying to control them but making sure nothing comes against them. Don’t let anything stand in the way of the time you spend with Him and the direction He is sending you.
• Worship! Spending time in worship and adoration is such a strengthener of your love. Letting Him know how thankful you are for your salvation, the things He has brought you out of, and the things He’s yet to do in your life. Taking time to sit quietly so you can hear Him say how precious you are to Him.
• Take Him with you all day long. You can have a running conversation with Him throughout your day. Whatever you are doing or facing, He is right there beside you and wants to help guide and comfort you.
Nothing is more important to God than His relationship with you! He proved it by sending His only Son to die and pay your sin debt. He desired you above the most valuable thing He had. We know this is true because God wouldn’t have given His greatest treasure for someone unimportant.
Today I encourage you to spend some time focusing on your relationship with God. Make it a priority. Talk to Him like He is your best friend and confidant. Take time to listen to the things He is saying to your heart and the words of encouragement He has for you. Fall in love with Him and watch as your desire for Him changes into such a deep love that you want to spend even more time with Him . . . Not to check it off your daily to do list, but because you get to and not because you have to. He has made Himself available to you 24/7, do the same for Him!
Today’s scripture reading: 1 John 5:1-3
The Daily Dose 