If You Love Me

I sat for several long minutes trying to keep my mind focused on reading a chapter in Ephesians. Just then the word power caught my attention. I prayed for strength to focus. I prayed for power to over ride my feverish mind.

There was so much going on with a moving company showing up in a couple of hours to quote a price for our move. The apartment we are moving into has been slow in finalizing a move in date and other information to make the transition smoother. My thoughts turned to work. Yesterday I received an email from my manager that an auditor found documentation errors with a special account that I will need to correct. I felt upset and low. The week had proven to be overwhelming when a co-worker took medical leave. Then I thought of tomorrow. Sunday didn't promise rest. There was ministry obligations and a class to attend at church.

Then the Lord broke through my stormy and turbulent thoughts. If you love me...keep my commandments. The gears in my head suddenly stopped by a startling question. It was not how much God loved me or even why He would love me but how much do I love Him?

Past all the pressures and activities of the day what remains is a steady and consistent love for Him.

John 14:15 says, "If you love me, keep my commands." (NIV). The word keep means to guard. Just as Psalmist writes, "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." (NIV) Holding fast to His word means prevention of sin and all that follows when sinning against God.

Beloved, God gives us power to keep and sustain His revealed word to our hearts. To each life that He is transforming, He speaks truth regarding issues that keep us from giving our full love and devotion to Him. Such words are personal and intimate for each individual. The choice is to cherish those words that will bring life and freedom. Our faith grows and love for Him only deepens when we chose to obey.

We live in a day where Christians are now defining change or transformation as relevant to what makes them feel comfortable or what they can or can not accept to be true. God's love demands our very souls. Again, the question is not that God loves us but our devotion to Him.

I confessed to Him that I've grown distant, cold and was living with a "survivalist" attitude. Let's just get through this day !

True love for God makes us fearless and bold - an overcomer - because God's power flows through and from an obedient heart. Ask God to warm your heart to life again - these days are quickly fading - and we need to spend each moment loving Him with a reckless abandonment, even if life is not good and things go wrong.