How to Be Blessed By God
What is Love for God?
Scripture: 1 John 5:3-4
This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.
In the church, we often talk about and sing songs about our love for God. As a child, I used to tell my mother that I knew I didn’t love God as much as I love her. She knew that this was bothering me and was discouraging my efforts to follow God. The problem I was having is a common one among new believers, what does it mean to “love God”? Is it a feeling like I have for my parents or family?
In our scripture for today, the Apostle John makes it very clear exactly what our love for God is all about. He bluntly teaches that it is all about obedience! To obey God is to love God…to love God is to obey God! No feelings required and no agreement is necessary. God defines the love He wants and expects: Love is the action of obedience!
We’ve been using Joshua’s life as the foundation for this month’s study. God told Joshua not to “turn from it (God’s Word) to the right or to the left.” These were graphic instructions for him and us. We are not to cut corners or compromise in any way. To live a life that’s blessed, receiving all God wants to give us, demands total obedience to the Word of God as we know it! My obedience is more complete now than it was last year. My obedience will be better next year than it is now. As we grow in our knowledge of God’s Word, our accountability grows proportionately. As Mark Twain said, “I’m not as worried about what I don’t know about God as I am about what I do know.”
“Father, as your Word shines light on my path, I’m determined to follow and obey. Grant me your grace, Amen.”