Do You Truly Love Him?

"Shema Yisra'el Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad."

Forgive me for starting this message in tongues, the tongue being Hebrew, of course! In translation, it means, "Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One" (Deut 6:4). This is probably the most sacred of texts for Jews, and it is quickly followed by a text which is special to Christians: "You are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength" (Deut 6:5). May this be our prayer today - that we will endeavour to love God wholeheartedly with all that we are and all that we do. Ironically, although we are called to love God with all our strength, we can't do this in our own strength; we can only do it in God's strength. 

I have one Christian friend who refuses to say that he loves God because he knows how impossible it is for him to love God in the way in which this passage calls him to, and he'd prefer not to lie to God. We use the phrase, "I love You Lord" so often, especially in worship, being blissfully unaware of the fact that it's more of an aspiration rather than a reality in our lives. After all, if we truly loved God, we would never think a wrong thought, say a wrong word, or do a wrong deed.

In the New Testament, Jesus calls this the greatest commandment (Matt 22:36-40). He also says that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments (Jn 14:15,21). So, we are called to an uncompromising life of obedience, dedication and commitment – "I have decided to follow Jesus; no turning back… Though none go with me, still I will follow; no turning back… The cross before me, the world behind me; no turning back." 

I hope you feel you've come too far now to turn back, certainly in your Christian life as a whole, but also in whatever your current struggle might be. God is urging you on. Although we are called to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12), this is followed by Paul declaring, "For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure" (Phil 2:13). So, God is willing us and working in us. We're not running this race alone, relying solely on our own resources. That would be a recipe for disaster. "In Him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28).

Prayer

"Father God, may we increasingly be aware of how You are living and working and moving within us and through us. May we know that all of Your mighty power resides within us, because You have taken up residence within us, and, through Your Holy Spirit, we have all of Your might and strength at our disposal at all times and in all circumstances. Thank You that You are all sufficient to enable us to love You and follow You with total commitment, with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. May all our thoughts and actions bow in humble obedience to all you have planned for us to think and do today. In the all-powerful name of Jesus, amen!"