Who we love we honor, we cherish, we serve in humility for their welfare, rejecting our own desires. “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb. 12:2)
I contemplate things at times that are far beyond my ability to discern, love is one of them, for it is the epitome of not only service to those we say we love, and to our neighbor, (Matt. 22:39) but most specifically to the Lord God. “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” (Matt. 22:37) Jesus said this is the greatest of all the commandments given to men, there is nothing more immediate and pressing upon the life of a person, everything in our lives is to be a subset of this greatest of commandments.
“If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.” (John 14:7) This is why John 14:15 is of equal value, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
Those who truly love the Lord, obey the Lord, they apply the commandments to their lives, they live by them solely for that purpose, because they love Him. Your actions and reactions to other people on this planet are the indication to them of who God is, this is how He has chosen to reveal Himself to mankind. It is one thing to witness a beautiful sunset, the clean falling snow, to feel the warmth of the day upon your face, or witness any of the wonders of His creation, it is quite another thing to know you are loved, without measure, eternally.
This love we are to portray has been modified by many in the church today, it has devolved into a mushy, feel-good attitude that has little work, little action behind it, it is no longer self-sacrificing, but self-serving. Words have taken the place of actions. “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.” (Matt. 15:8) There is possibly no greater sin then to be a lover of oneself, for it is the root of pride. “Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.” (Eze. 28:17) Many who call themselves Christians have turned the works, the actions of love into those items that have little value, they are relative to how much they want to sacrifice, how much inconvenience they are willing to endure, they are based on what they are willing to give up, and not on complete self-sacrifice.
When we love the Lord our God with all our heart, there is no room left for any other, when our souls desire is for Him alone, everything else in our lives takes second place, when our mind is completely focused on Him, every thought is held captive for Christ, (2 Cor. 10:5) and when all of our strength is devoted to Him, there is none left for anything or anyone else.
Here is the person who in all honesty can say, “Thy will be done,” here is the individual that the Holy Spirit can work through. This is the foundation of the Christian life, everything begins at this point, our love for Him is to be absolute, and the very first stone laid upon that foundation is trust. You may call it faith if you so desire. Your words, deeds and actions are how you exhibit the love of Christ to others, we are His chosen representatives in this timeline, in this age of grace. When people meet us, they are to be meeting Christ, for “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Gal. 2:20)
Only those who have died to self can express true love, only those whose mind, heart, soul, and strength now belong to the Most High are profitable to the kingdom, only those who have died to self know of this great love. “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” (John 15:12) This cannot be done unless one first loves the Lord.
