A person ‘in love’ has the person loved in his thoughts near constantly. He plans for ways to show affection, to be part of the life of his beloved. The romantic attraction matures into a shared experiences, to unselfish service, finding ways to make the life of the beloved better in every way. It is a delight to observe those who have walked through life together for decades who continue to have the spark of interest in one another as well as the connections of mind and heart that make “me” to “we.” Love inspires more love and strengthens the ties between 2 people.
Being a follower of Christ is a love affair!
Let me get personal and ask you – do you love God? Do you delight in Him, look for ways to please Him, your individual life melded to His Spirit living in you so that your thoughts, values, hopes, and dreams centered on Him? Jesus, when asked about pleasing God, said that all of God’s desires for us are satisfied by one choice - "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’" (Mark 12:30, NIV)
Our love for Him is inspired by His love for us;
shown us in the world He has given us, revealed in the life of His Son, Jesus,
and experienced through the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
One of the great hindrances to loving God for us is the idea born in the last 200 years that the world in which we live sprang into existence through purely ‘natural’ processes. Rather than seeing a created world, made for us by the mind of God, we are taught that it just happened.
Strangely we understand that the complex machines that make our lives better were developed and created by intelligent minds but let ourselves be convinced that the amazing universe exploded from nothing. We are dazzled by the art on a canvas, moved by beauty, and recognize the artist. We are deeply moved by music and applaud the writer and the performer. Yet, when we gaze on the wonder of the world; the beauty of the rose, the songs of the birds in the morning, the face of a newborn child – we are taught to believe that this all is the product of random processes, with no Intelligent Designer. To suggest otherwise to the “lords of science” is to invite mockery.
Christian, if we would truly love the Lord – heart, soul,
mind, and strength- we will learn to see His hand in the world He has made. "When
I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the
stars you have set in place— what are mortals that you should think of us, mere
humans that you should care for us?" (Psalm 8:3-4, NLT) The awesomeness of Creation should elicit this
response of love and worship - "O Lord, our Lord, the majesty of your
name fills the earth!" (Psalm 8:9, NLT)
Oh yes, many simplistic and superstitious ideas have wrapped around the presentation of the Scripture that teaches us of our Creator. We need not set aside our own intelligence to become a believer in God’s gift of Creation. But, if we become naturalists, making the universe into a kind of god, which is what millions have done, we lose sight of our true God, that He is good and giving, and we cannot love Him as we must. But, oh how we love Him when we catch sight of His love for us in the dawn, in the rain, in the sunsets, the mountain vistas, the delight of human connections, in this world He has made.
If you would be a disciple, a lover of God, begin with
renewed faith in the fact that He is the Maker of Heaven and Earth, the Giver
of every good gift.
The word from the Word today makes me think. I pray it will stir your mind and inspire your heart. "For the truth about God is known to them (humanity) instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts. From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God. Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. The result was that their minds became dark and confused." (Romans 1:19-21, NLT)
(Video of this blog at this link)
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O Lord my God
When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds
Thy hands have made
I see the stars
I hear the rolling thunder
Thy pow'r thru'out
The universe displayed
Then sings my soul
My Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art
How great Thou art
Then sings my soul
My Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art
How great Thou art
When through the woods
And forest glades I wander
And hear the birds
Sing sweetly in the trees
When I look down
From lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook
And feel the gentle breeze
And when I think
That God His Son not sparing
Sent Him to die
I scarce can take it in
That on the cross
My burden gladly bearing
He bled and died
To take away my sin
When Christ shall come
With shout of acclamation
And take me home
What joy shall fill my heart
Then I shall bow
In humble adoration
And there proclaim
My God how great Thou art
Stuart Wesley Keene Hine
© Copyright 1949 and 1953 Stuart Hine Trust CIO Stuart K. Hine Trust (Administration: USA All rights by Capitol CMG Publishing, except print rights for USA, North, Central and South America administered by Hope Publishing. All other non USA Americas rights by the Stuart Hine Trust. Rest of World – Integritymusic.com.)
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