Do we love God? It may seem odd to ask this question of ourselves about God who IS love. But this question is part of our reality test for everyday living with God who lives in us. If we love God, we believe God exists. If we love God, truly love God, we love doing what He says instead of what evil suggests. If we love God, we want to know God more.
Because of His love in us we stand in awe of what He does daily to remind us of His love for us! If we love God, we believe that Jesus, His One and Only Son, willingly and obediently gave his life in payment for the sins of the world—yours and mine. If we truly love God we relentless love His Son, Jesus. If we love God we love other people—friends, neighbors around the world, family, and our enemies who do not yet love God.
If we love God we live gratefully, abundant, obedient, authentic lives with humility before God—all because of His grace and mercy as well as His love. If we love God, we trust Him. We live assured that nothing can separate us from His love. Paul writes of this blessed assurance of God’s love;
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:35-39, NIV
So, the question remains: Do we love God?
1 John 5, The Message
1-3 Every person who believes that Jesus is, in fact, the Messiah, is God-born. If we love the One who conceives the child, we’ll surely love the child who was conceived. The reality test on whether or not we love God’s children is this: Do we love God? Do we keep his commands? The proof that we love God comes when we keep his commandments and they are not at all troublesome.
The Power That Brings the World to Its Knees
4-5 Every God-born person conquers the world’s ways. The conquering power that brings the world to its knees is our faith. The person who wins out over the world’s ways is simply the one who believes Jesus is the Son of God.
6-8 Jesus—the Divine Christ! He experienced a life-giving birth and a death-killing death. Not only birth from the womb, but baptismal birth of his ministry and sacrificial death. And all the while the Spirit is confirming the truth, the reality of God’s presence at Jesus’ baptism and crucifixion, bringing those occasions alive for us. A triple testimony: the Spirit, the Baptism, the Crucifixion. And the three in perfect agreement.
9-10 If we take human testimony at face value, how much more should we be reassured when God gives testimony as he does here, testifying concerning his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God inwardly confirms God’s testimony. Whoever refuses to believe in effect calls God a liar, refusing to believe God’s own testimony regarding his Son.
11-12 This is the testimony in essence: God gave us eternal life; the life is in his Son. So, whoever has the Son, has life; whoever rejects the Son, rejects life.
The Reality, Not the Illusion
13-15 My purpose in writing is simply this: that you who believe in God’s Son will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life, the reality and not the illusion. And how bold and free we then become in his presence, freely asking according to his will, sure that he’s listening. And if we’re confident that he’s listening, we know that what we’ve asked for is as good as ours.
16-17 For instance, if we see a Christian believer sinning (clearly I’m not talking about those who make a practice of sin in a way that is “fatal,” leading to eternal death), we ask for God’s help and he gladly gives it, gives life to the sinner whose sin is not fatal. There is such a thing as a fatal sin, and I’m not urging you to pray about that. Everything we do wrong is sin, but not all sin is fatal.
18-21 We know that none of the God-born makes a practice of sin—fatal sin. The God-born are also the God-protected. The Evil One can’t lay a hand on them. We know that we are held firm by God; it’s only the people of the world who continue in the grip of the Evil One. And we know that the Son of God came so we could recognize and understand the truth of God—what a gift!—and we are living in the Truth itself, in God’s Son, Jesus Christ. This Jesus is both True God and Real Life. Dear children, be on guard against all clever facsimiles.
WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?
Stop looking for love in all the wrong places. “Be on guard, warns John, against all clever facsimiles” of love. Love from the center of who we are—believers who love God and love others! Trust in Jesus as the Center of our being who loved us before, during and after the cross work that saved our souls for eternity. He demonstrated the Love of God for us with this powerful act of love, mercy, and grace.
We have the Power when we love God back with all that is within us! “The conquering power that brings the world to its knees is our faith. The person who wins out over the world’s ways is simply the one who believes Jesus is the Son of God.” We love God as His child who simply believes in child-like faith that Jesus is who He says He is!
God is Love.
Jesus is The Way to Truth that gives Real, Eternal Life all because God loved us.
We simply believe, being confidently assured of God’s love for us. We trust God.
Do you really love God? I pray all who are reading and listening to God speak that our answers will be;
“I love you, Lord God with all my heart, mind and soul!”
“And I love others because of Your love abiding and guiding me to love!”
Lord,
I do love you back! I love you with all that is in me. I love how you work. I love to see your glory at work in others as well as in me. I love your teaching that never fails to guide us to you. By your love, cleanse my heart and make me holy before you. Renew my mind and transform my behaviors daily. Refresh my souls with your tender mercies. Restore the unending joy of your salvation at work continually in me. Help me to love like you love me—relentlessly and unconditionally. Simply love.
In Jesus Name, Amen
Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus) 