Do I Love God?
Do we really ask ourselves that? I have the wonderful responsibility to teach Psalm 116 tomorrow (how often we say "I have to...." incorrectly, as if everything is under obligation or compunction, we have no will, and there is no joy in it). The first line is "I love the LORD." I really don't think about this very much, which means . . . ?
Nonbelievers don't talk about love for God, as should be suspected. But Christians don't much either. In some ways that's probably good; we should be professing our love for God before people unless we can back it up, and it would take a pretty hefty spiritual life to look like you can back up "I love God." And it's not about us. But personally, it's a legitimate question to ask. How would we know if we love God?
Do I want God's presence more than his blessings, his stuff? do I want to spend time alone with God? Do I ask myself what God's view of something is? Do I talk about him to others? Do I take God for granted? When I am conscious of loving God, what does it feel like?
And perhaps the most important, Does heaven call me?
It is interested that the same psalm that starts "I love the Lord" also contains "precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." It also says, in v. 7, "Return to your rest, O my soul." And there are no imprecations in this psalm--the fancy word for calling down punishment on enemies. the psalmist is world weary--verse 11--but love for God has crowded out the need for revenge.
Nonbelievers don't talk about love for God, as should be suspected. But Christians don't much either. In some ways that's probably good; we should be professing our love for God before people unless we can back it up, and it would take a pretty hefty spiritual life to look like you can back up "I love God." And it's not about us. But personally, it's a legitimate question to ask. How would we know if we love God?
Do I want God's presence more than his blessings, his stuff? do I want to spend time alone with God? Do I ask myself what God's view of something is? Do I talk about him to others? Do I take God for granted? When I am conscious of loving God, what does it feel like?
And perhaps the most important, Does heaven call me?
It is interested that the same psalm that starts "I love the Lord" also contains "precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." It also says, in v. 7, "Return to your rest, O my soul." And there are no imprecations in this psalm--the fancy word for calling down punishment on enemies. the psalmist is world weary--verse 11--but love for God has crowded out the need for revenge.
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