The greatest of all the commandments in the Bible is this: love God. He even makes it easy. He loves us tremendously. He loves us collectively, as a race of His creation, and He loves us individually, each and every one in a unique and special way. He took on flesh, left His heavenly home of glory, and came here to our little ball of dirt to show us up close and personally what true love looks like. He fills us with His Holy Spirit to teach us what love feels like and to empower us to show it, because after all these centuries and millennia of selfishness we’ve forgotten how to do it right.
So yes, it’s easy to love God. But I find, upon careful consideration of the matter, that I like Him as well. He is honest and faithful. He is kind and generous. He calls me out on my crap, but always with encouragement and confidence that I can do better, never in a way that makes me feel belittled or insulted. He never gives up on me. He waited patiently for decades, diligently watching for the day when I would be ready to turn from my own self-centered lifestyle to cast a casual glance in His direction. And when I finally did, He poured out His blessings on me with gleefully exuberant generosity. He stood by my side with stoic endurance, suffering me to heap shame and abuse on Him, on everyone around me, on myself; and then, when my scarred and battered conscience whispered in my ear that perhaps I should feel a tiny bit bad about it, that maybe I should consider making some slight change for the better, He shrugged it all off as if it were nothing and wrapped me up in His arms like a long-lost son returned from the dead.
His hope for me is infectious. He insists on seeing me as I can be, and that makes me want to be better than I am. He offers to teach me how to do just that, and offers me also His almighty power to help me along.
What’s not to like?!?
Anthony Vaughan #308-236
LeCI P.O. Box 56
Lebanon Ohio 45036
Great post- so true!
Wow, wonderful! I love this!