Some people are famous cooks. Others are illustrious cooks. I’m an infamous cook.
Once when my wife was gone I invented a dish. I found some cream of mushroom soup in the cupboard and mozerella cheese in the frig. Since I like both of these I mixed them them in the heating pan.
When I lift the stirring spoon from the potion I had created it was kind of gross. The cheese stretched from the spoon down to the soup and reminded me a bit of someone with a bad cold (sorry ladies).
My wife loves me, but if someone famous comes to eat at our house, she doesn’t trust me to prepare the meal.
God asks that we love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. If He asks us to love Him like that we can be sure that He loves us in return with all His heart, soul, mind and strength.
But what does it mean to love God like that?
There is a vital element of the love that God wants from us, that maybe isn’t always present in love. You see, I can love my three-year old child but I’m not going to count on Him for a lot of things. He loves me back but his love is more emotional than practical.
My wife can love me but she’s not going to trust me to cook the casserole.
The love God desires from us includes an element of powerful trust in Him and who He is.
“Without faith no one can please God because the one coming to God must believe He exists, and He rewards those who come seeking.” Heb. 11:6, VOICE.
You can love someone and pity them.
You can love someone even if you don’t think they are very capable.
You can love someone and still think they aren’t worthy of your trust.
But you can’t please God with your love unless you trust Him.
This is a love that goes beyond chill bumps in worship time on Sunday morning. It’s a love that goes beyond sweet words. It’s a trustful love that grabs hold of God and hangs on, even when it feels like the foundation of your life is shaking.
Twice these last weeks I found myself starting to blame God when I got into situations I didn’t like or felt like I didn’t deserve. One time I wanted to say, “Hey, Lord. Don’t you remember? This is your faithful servant and you let this happen to me?”
Both situations were disagreeable but I made it through them both. I was a bit hacked off with myself, though. Why did I want to blame God when everything didn’t go the way I wanted it to?
In the first case, the problem was partly (or mostly) my fault. In the second, it was a case of bad weather and (in my opinion) bad organization by an airline that left us spending the night in an airport.
The next morning I was in a bad mood but I made it.
When I catch myself accusing God, I try to do a few things.
I recall what is true. God loves me with everything He is. God works for my good in all things, even when the devil wanted it to destroy me. God will bring me through.
The mountain will uproot itself and be cast into the sea or He will give me strength to climb the mountain. But, by the grace of the One who loves me, I’m going to make it.
You know what? He loves You like that too.
So, a few little questions for you:
Are you mad at God because He won’t act the way you want Him to? In your heart of hearts do you doubt that even God can help you in this situation? Do you believe God can help you but you’re not sure that He cares enough about you to act?
Do you think that in all these teeming masses of people He may have forgotten you? After all, there’s always someone He must like better than you, huh? (Answer: nope. God has millions of favorite children. “Not possible,” you say. I have three children and all three of them are my favorite. Guaranteed! God love capacity is astronomically greater than mine so He can have hundreds of millions of favorites).
Loving God is deeper than simply believing He exists. It also believes that if we go after Him with all our heart He will reward us.
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Hmmm …
The Word doesn’t say that God is looking for worship. It says He’s looking for worshippers. Bill johnson
Images: Alexas photos,pixabay.com