As you’re aware, we all crave to love and be loved. The more we love the happier we become. I’m sure at this point you’re thinking okay…I understand that, but tell me more…!
Father God has put a lot of love in us so that we can function properly. The love is in our hearts, and we need to ignite it in order for it to flow. No human being will ever love as Jesus did. His love for people was on a perfect scale.
Most of us have experienced falling in love; we know what love is. We know that love draws us to another human being; it draws us to employ someone, to look after someone, to love our pets, to beautiful gardens, to food, to do so many good things, and it helps us to be good, etc.
So, the question God has put in my mind; how do you show your love? Again, the question is designed to examine ourselves in regard to God the Father, Jesus and other people. When you reason well, you understand more!
The biggest love of all is the love of God and Jesus; when we love God our Father, we have Jesus the same way. Love is spiritual. When a true Christian goes to church to worship God, it is an expression of love for God and Jesus. When a person obeys God, they have to obey Jesus as well, which is an expression of love. As you’re aware, we are made in God’s image. God has shown us something about love, for example, when someone loves you, they normally show it by actions. I know I mentioned this before, but here I’m elaborating a bit more. When you love Jesus, you have to show it through actions. Jesus indicated, we should love him more than our own family or more than anything that belongs to us in order for us to grow in faith the way God wants us to’. (Luke 14:25-34)
I can understand what Jesus says, because when you deal with imperfect human beings, you’ll always get a disappointment. Sometimes, our family members can be the most difficult ones to deal with. When you look at David’s family, for example, we learn from the bible, that there was so much chaos; his son Absalom turned against him. (2 Samuel 17) When you look at Saul, (the king of Israel at the time) he turned against his own son Jonathan. (1 Samuel)
And when Jesus says, ‘love me more than your family.’ He means, ‘I’m more important to you than your family; even though God wants us to love our families ( love your neighbour as yourself), but sometimes, family members or freinds can be discouraging when a person becomes born again in Jesus. He also says, love him more than you love yourself. The desire to please God is more important than our own desires, meaning instead of gratifying our sinful desires, we should think about righteousness.
So, Jesus says, ‘I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full.’ (John 10:10. NIV) He means, when we obey him, we’ll enjoy life much more, and we’ll be fulfilled. The problem is the fulfilment we get from friends, families, material world, etc. is not enough. When everybody is got their own issues to deal with, it is difficult to lean on a human being. No human is strong enough to carry their own problems and the problems of others. That’s why we need a bigger fulfilment which can only be found in God, through Jesus. We need his help in all our problems. God Almighty can handle all the problems of the world. Thus, when we show him that we love him, He smiles and delivers us.
And when we celebrate Jesus in the right way, to understand that he came to save us, he smiles – meaning, it pleases Father God, our creator. (Matt. 1:21) Jesus said, ‘For God so loved the world (people) that the gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world. But to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned but whoever does not believe him stands condemned already because he or she does not believe in the name of God’s one and only Son’. (John 3:16-18 NIV) We learn from here that believing every word Jesus says and act upon it, is the key to our salvation.
Merry Christmas!