Pastor's Ponderings, May 14, 2018

Let Us Fall In Love With Jesus

Erica Campbell sings, “I love God.”  Some of the lyrics are, “I luh God. You don't luh God? What's wrong with chu?” For her, loving God is the natural, logical thing to do and if one does not love God, there must be something wrong with them.  Kirk Whalum sings, “Falling in love with Jesus was the best thing I've ever, ever done. In His arms…there is no place that I’d rather be.”  George Harrison sings, “I really want to see you, really want to be with you in “My Sweet Lord.” All of these songs speak of our love for an awesome God.

The world is full of songs of love, sacrifice, and commitment to our significant others, parents, and children. However, the greatest love is loving God with all of our heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37, 38).  God is all powerful and He could command us to worship, adore, and praise Him, but He wants us to choose to love Him not simply because of what He has done for us, but because of who He is.  In the Bible, King David says that he just wants to live in His house and gaze at the beauty of God (Psalm 27:4). 

We love Him because He loved us first (1 John 4:19). He laid down His life for us in a terrible death because of His great love for us (Galatians 2:20). Although His human side recoiled from the suffering on the Cross (Matthew 26:39), Jesus looked forward to paying for our sins for the joy of it; He wanted to do it (Hebrews 12:2). Let us fall in love with Jesus over and over again.  He deserves our love, affection, and adoration!

Matthew 22:37, 38
New International Version (NIV)

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
38 This is the first and greatest commandment.

Psalm 27:4
New International Version (NIV)

4 One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.

1 John 4:19
New International Version (NIV)

19 We love because he first loved us.

Galatians 2:20

New International Version (NIV)
20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Matthew 26:39
New International Version (NIV)

39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

Hebrews 12:2
New International Version (NIV)

2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.