"Love for God and one's neighbor constitutes the sum of God's requirements for the Christian. The man who loves needs no counseling. Love cements relationships between God and man and man and man. While love attracts, fear repels. When love gives, lust grabs. What love builds, hatred destroys. With love communication flourishes; with resentment it withers. Love is the ultimate answer to all the problems of living with which the Christian counselor deals. Love therefore is the goal." - Jay Adams The Christian Counselors Manual p 141.“What does God want from me?” Most of us have probably asked ourselves this question at one time or another. We think that we are doing everything right; perhaps even keeping a mental checklist. But, it still feels like we're forgetting something.
The problem might not be what you are forgetting to do. Maybe, just maybe, it's what you're doing, or the way you're going about it that is. This same question is raised during a ficticious conversation between God and Israel in Micah 6.
There was some confusion and frustration on Israel's part because they felt that they were doing everything right (e.g., religious rituals, sacrifices, or burnt offerings) to cleanse their sins, yet it wasn't enough to satisfy God. Hence the question, “What does God want from me?”
As it turns out, the solution to their sin problem was not performing more ritualistic sacrifices. The remedy involved slightly more than following any religious ceremony. As it happened, the answer was with them all along.
The thing is, they should have known what the answer was. What they needed more than anything was a change of heart. Without heart, as was in Israel's case, obedience of the Law was nothing short of hypocrisy. Undoubtedly, other prophets attempted to communicate similar messages (Isaiah 1:14; Hosea 6:6; Amos 5:21). However, God's people were hesistant to obey the message (Matthew 12:7).
Jesus was once questioned about which commandment of the Law was the greatest. He replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Secondly, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30–32; cf. Matthew 22:37–39).
What God requires, or wants from us is really pretty simple: He wants us. All of our service for Him must emanate from the two commands to love, or it's not true service; it is carnal effort. Romans 8:8 plainly states that those who are “in the flesh cannot please God.”
Even today, many of us try to put external action before any inner heart change (Luke 11:42). We place all the attention on what we do instead of who we are. Still, unless love for God is our incentive, any outward demonstrations of goodness only end up in pride and legalism; neither of which is pleasing to Him.
When we give ourselves completely to Him, His Holy Spirit entrusts us to love God completely, and serve Him from the heart. Genuine service and holiness are simply the outworking of the Spirit, the overflowing of a life dedicated to the glory of God.
We (people) have a habit of making things more complicated than they need to be by slapping on rules and man-made laws that guarantee frustration. This tends to destroy the gladness of following Christ ( 2 Corinthians 3:6).
God desires us to love Him wholeheartedly, and to allow our obedience to spring forth from our hearts; being acceptable in His sight. By focusing on loving God rather than simply serving Him, we end up doing both. If we skip the relationship, our service is of no use and unrewarding (1 Corinthians 13:1).
Scripture: John 15:5; Proverbs 14:12; Galatians 5:22; Matthew 6:33; Ephesians 5:17
Prayer: Holy Father, I thank You for Your love and understanding; I always seek Your comforting presence as I go through my busy day. Knowing You are there with Your strong, steady hand; I feel safe and sure in whatever I do. Amen
Have a blessed weekend!
Krystal
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.