Make Us Like You

The love of God. I don’t know a deeper more moving subject than this. It’s a concept I learn more about daily, and yet still feel as though I haven’t scratched even the surface of it’s meaning. Do you ever wonder what this world would be like if Christians, God’s own children, truly grasped His love for them?  How different would we react to things? How much more grace would we show those around us? How much more would we allow ourselves to step out of our comfort zones and LIVE for the one who first loved us? HOW DIFFERENT WOULD OUR LIVES LOOK?

I know that God is enthralled by me, that He knew me before I was in the womb, that His unfailing love for me will never be shaken. But for some reason, and I think all people experience it, there’s a disconnect between feeling that love and accepting it, and then allowing it to flow out to those around us; showing the love that we’ve been shown to the people God places in our lives.  WHY? 

I think sometimes we think things should come so naturally.  I’ve said it plenty of times….”once people are able to accept and acknowledge God’s love for them, they will be able to love others with the same love.”  It’s true….we will be ABLE to, but that doesn’t mean it will just come naturally to us.  There are many commandments that God gave that don’t come “naturally.”  A couple of examples…..

“Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.”  How many of us truly stop and allow ourselves to rest in Him regularly…weekly?  We’ve become too busy for this commandment, even if that busyness is working for Him.  “Do not covet your neighbor or their belongings.:”  How many of us have not wanted what is not ours.  It’s natural for us to want what we don’t have.  It’s our sinful nature to always want MORE. “Do not commit adultery.”  Matthew 5:28 says “I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” How many people, men or women, have not looked lustfully at the opposite sex?

In the same way, I don’t think it should surprise us when it doesn’t come so easily to live out the greatest command, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’  Love your neighbor AS YOURSELF.  What a high and challenging call? We would never want bad things said about us, but we will be the first to slander others.  We would never allow ourselves to starve, but we don’t give to the hungry.  We would expect others to help us if we were hurting, lonely, depressed, but yet we’ll turn our face from the brokenhearted.  More than anything, we would never want to spend eternity in torment, but we fail to share the greatest love ever shown with people we come into contact with everyday, because we care more about keeping ourselves from feeling awkward than someone else’s salvation. 

As a body, I believe we, myself included, have failed to live out the greatest commandment.  God has REALLY been dealing with me about this lately.  It hasn’t so much been conviction, as it’s been revelation from Him about how to change this.  I believe the answer is very simple.  There’s not one command God gives us that does not take His supernatural anointing and aid to live out on a regular basis.  I believe He set it up this way, because He WANTS us to rely on Him for ALL things, ESPECIALLY the commands He holds at the highest esteem.  Friends, instead of relying on ourselves, as is the natural thing to do, and struggling with the guilt that comes from falling short of showing the love we’re called to, let’s turn to the ONE who called us to this love.  Let’s ask the supernatural ALMIGHTY God for help.  He doesn’t call us to anything that we’re not capable of.  He just wants us to ASK.  Let’s take advantage of God’s amazing gift of PRAYER, the ability to communicate with the God of the universe, and use it for His Glory!!!!  He wants us to have a heart like His, He wants us to carry His Spirit so we can minister to the brokenhearted, He wants us to LOVE like He loved!!!!  So let’s ask Him for His help…..let’s ask Him to refine us, transforming us into His likeness.  Ya’ll…..this IS His will for us and He will be faithful to do it if we just ask.  What would this world be like, if God’s children, started loving with a CHRISTLIKE love?????  I don’t think we can even begin to know how many lives would be ETERNALLY effected.  Let’s spend some time on our knees today seeking Him in this area……….

Father God, thank you for loving us! While we were still sinners, you died for us! God we want to be like you.  We want to please you and give you glory in ALL that we do.  God we surrender our lives, our decisions, our plans, we surrender ALL to your will.  And God we pray that you would give us supernatural ability to love everyone in our lives, from the lovable to the unlovable.  God give us spiritual eyes to see them….to see them as you see them.  God help us to remember the grace you’ve shown us….and give us the ability to show it to others.  Give us compassion like NEVER before so that we can honor and keep your commands!!!  Thank you God that you are already changing us, transforming us, and making our hearts more like yours.  AMEN