Give and take?
It is easier to love God when things are going well. We thank God for getting the promition from the work place, receiving the good mark although we didn’t study, or picking up 5$ note on the street. Almost like a habit, we say ‘Wow, praise the Lord.’
But it becomes little different story if we are full of despair and disappointment. You wouldn’t ‘praise the Lord’ if you fell down and broke the neck. Here’s the thing. If I don’t love God for who he is, I don’t really LOVE God after all. But if I love God for who he is, it is possible to still ‘praise the Lord’ even when life gets harder.
Ps wenan preached about how Paul and Silas were praising God in the prison after severely beaten. How amazing is this story!! Our problem may not be gone miraculously, but God is still God. If he CHOOSE NOT to send his angels to protect me from breaking my leg, he is still God. He owes me nothing, but I owe him everything. What makes me think he is obliged to give me whatever I ask him with my magic word ‘in Jesus name I pray, amen‘. Will I sulk and pout like a child because he didn’t give me a pocket money?
Some old ladies I visit to nurse, have grown up childs who never come to visit their old mum, because their life is busy; family to feed and business to run. But I’m sure they will put everything on hold when they are asked to come and get their inheritance money. We should not be too busy with our lives to spend time with our heavenly Father. Yes, he will still give us blessings. But if we love him for who he is, our heart will make it possible to sacrifice other things so that we can BE with him.
I challenge my own heart to just simply LOVE God. Give all to God who gave all to me. Just how much does God deserves from me?
“Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
Matt 22:21
June 5, 2009 at 2:46 pm
LOVE….JESUS… I remember one day you telling me you loved Jesus, you said thats why I love him.. I can’t remember what the details are, but i remember the important part… I think when we give to God our heart, our love he can give back so much more, when we love God we are filled with more love for ourselfs and for others.
I always enjoy reading your blog Christine
June 6, 2009 at 12:33 am
Yes, our love of the Lord proves itself when we go through the test and trials. Everyone may have a ‘good intetion’ to follow him, but the real love shows itself when following God cost us dearly.
Congrats on your new blog. keep blogging.;)
June 16, 2009 at 12:58 pm
yes, I got that point…. I was just taking a different spin on it hey
. I guess I was talking about the affect of God’s love in our lives when we truly love him. A bit off topic i know…lol. But it was more in response to your last line where you say..
“I challenge my own heart to just simply LOVE God. Give all to God who gave all to me. Just how much does God deserves from me?” rather then the whole blog thing on test and trials.
Because for me I used to be scared to give God all my heart, thinking i’m going to lose some part of me or something, which is kinda silly, but it was a bit of a fear. But as i’ve learnt more about God comming to this Church and reading more I realise more about who God is (also through him revealing more to me). I know that God wants the best for me.
as regards to “Yes, our love of the Lord proves itself when we go through the test and trials.” show me someone who has never failed???(Jesus) Can we possibly be perfect in this sinful body? Does love prove itself if we pass the test/trial or does love prove itself in the outcome of the test or trial whether we have passed or failed?
June 8, 2009 at 11:01 am
praise God…I love Him more and more day after day..heee…
June 18, 2009 at 6:13 am
RJB-Love proves itself through the attitude and willingness towards the test / trial. At times it disregards the outcome. Like the poor widow gave all (2 copper coins), although it is a tiny amount (result) God received her heart because it costs her dearly (Everything, really) but she had a willing attitude. Bible says God tests us to see how much we love him.
Thank you for the good point you brought up.
June 19, 2009 at 2:35 pm
but what else is it for? is it only for God to test us to see if we love him? ( sorry I just feel there is more to it then that, I hope you don’t mind )