For the Love of God
“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” John 14:21
Has God called you to do something really hard? To stay in a marriage that’s really painful? To stay away from someone who’s not walking according to God’s ways? To give up something or someone you desperately want? To stay in a job you want to leave? To sacrifice a big income and benefits to do something else for Him? To forgive someone you want to hate forever? To reach out to someone in love you have pride-fully looked down on? To help someone you would rather hurt? To turn away from an opportunity that is deliciously tempting? To do something so challenging you can’t even imagine being able to do it – except in His strength? To start sharing the Gospel with people despite how shy and scared you are? Is there something God has called you to do, or not do, that no matter how hard you try to pretend it’s not there, it’s right in your face? Like repenting of your sins, believing in Christ as Lord, and giving your life wholly to God and His ways? Something, whatever it is, no matter how great or small, that you just know in your heart God’s Spirit has placed on your heart to do or not do in obedience to Him?
I am in a phenomenally long, grueling, emotionally and physically challenging season of my life following Christ, and every ounce of my flesh wants to QUIT, RUN, HIDE, anything but persevere. But persevering is EXACTLY what I am doing. I am CHOOSING to cry out to God, to seek His face, and to OBEY GOD. For ONE SINGLE REASON. Because I love God more than anything or anyone in the universe. I used to think of obedience as a punishment, a bondage, an obligation. Now I know the truth. Obedience is a breathtakingly amazing opportunity to LOVE GOD, to SERVE GOD, to REVERE GOD, to WORSHIP GOD, to HONOR GOD, to EXALT GOD, to MAGNIFY GOD, to THANK GOD, to DRAW CLOSER TO GOD, to TELL THE WORLD ABOUT GOD, and to EXPERIENCE THE JOY AND BLESSING AND PRIVILEGE AND HUMBLING HONOR of being His daughter and His servant who wants nothing more than to LOVE HIM FOREVER! God gives me the strength and grace to obey Him and to persevere, to deny my flesh that wants to quit, to carry my little cross, and to follow Jesus my Lord forever!
Whatever God is calling you to do, or not do, please obey Him. Obey Him because you love Him. Jesus said those who keep His commandments love Him. Instead of seeing obedience as a hardship, see it as an opportunity to love and revere and honor the Lord forever! For the love of God, obey Him!