Love Question

How many times have you just let the words "I love you" roll off your tongue? I say it to my husband, to my kids, to my friends all the time. And even thought I do mean it and the evidence is there through our relationship and actions of proof, the words, I love you, if not precluded by those actions and relationship would be hollow and meaningless. I can say them lightly as a salutation or in a good bye, or even in the midst of a trying situation and those who I love dearly would understand the depth in which those words are carried. Oh but when those words are casually spoken for personal manipulation and agenda, their merit/meaning is lost on deaf ears.

I was reading Oswald Chambers this morning, March 1st entry in his book My Utmost for His Highest, and the title was: "The Piercing Question", which was "Do you love me?" Oswald's explanation was filled with many truths. Remember when Peter told Jesus that he loved him so much he would die for him, then went on to deny Christ not only once, but three times.(Matthew 26:33-35)? Then the crucifixion, and Peter after that again was face to face with the risen Christ. He realized who Christ really was and this time the question of "Do You Love Me" brought about a deepened conviction. In comparison to this world in its surfaced preoccupation with saying the rights things without true meaning, or follow up actions, Christ requires us who say that we love him to act accordingly. Oswald says: " Our natural individuality , or our natural self, boldly speaks out and declares its feelings. But the true love within our inner spiritual self can be only discovered by experiencing the hurt of this question of Jesus Christ." The way that a natural man loves a good person is an emotional love, he says, but it never really penetratesto the spirit of a person.

Oswald explains that if we confess our love to Christ, it is confessed in what we do not in just what we say. (Luke 12:8). Unless we are experiencing the hurt of facing every deception in ourselves, we have hindered the work of the word of God in our lives. Sin dulls our senses, but the word of God activates our conscience and if we are inclined to follow his will, Christ will allow his living and powerful word to pierce us when we are not in accord with his will and his ways. That hurts. I have felt that hurt time and time again when I knowingly have crossed the line of his will and said things I wish I would not have said or done things I wish I would not have done. It is not just a blunder that casually goes unnoticed, but one, when I am truly desiring to lined up with Christ, that causes great pain. That is a love that is generated from deep in my soul, because I love Christ so much that I so want to do and say the right things, not according to my desires but to His. I do not want my love for Christ to be a hollow acknowledgement of his existence and his power and his grace, I want the love that I have for Christ, to come from deep within my very soul, and to be reflected in my actions and my choices.

People know how deep your love for them in what you do or in some cases do not do, and in how you act, or how you respond. That is how real love is shown. Superficial loves comes packed with words, and words only, no truth, no sacrifice, no evidence of pursuing what is right and just. We can give lip service by the bushels, but if there are no actions to back it up, it is like a vapor that vanishes in the air, leaving no lingering matter behind.

I do have to ask myself: How deep is my love for Christ? Am I willing to do what I don't want to do, or don't feel like doing for the sake of what I know is right in God's eyes? Is my love for Christ superficial or does it spring from the depths of my very soul? I will know how deep my love is by how willing I am to submit to his ways of truth and righteousness and by measuring the strength of my own desires vs the desire and strengthen power that I have from HIm to obey Him.

Micah 6:8
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Dear Lord, Thank you for loving me from the depths of your heart, and blessing me with your grace. Help me to continue to develop a deepened love for you that is reflected through my actions and not just my words. Amen


Praise God wherever you are and whatever situation He has allowed you to be in . . . His glory will shine through!

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