this book i've been reading is challenging my concept of what it means to love God, and how that translates into daily life.
how do you define love?
i love my niece & nephews, and if you were to ask me to define what it means to love these little people, how it translates into my life, i would tell you that i love spending time with them; if they drew me a picture or wrote me a letter, i would put it on my refrigerator & every time i'd look at it (which would be often), i'd smile; i could talk about them and the great things they do and say for hours; and if one of them ever needed me or asked for anything, i would move heaven & earth to make it happen.
if, then, i am willing to go to such great lengths for my little relatives, does it not follow that i would go to even greater lengths if i claim to love my God? not that i should love the little ones less, but i'm thinking that my love for God should be more extravagant...
the chapter i am reading now is called 'serving leftovers to a holy God'. when i think about it, it's scary how often i default to this. is it sufficient to say we love God, and give him what time/money/love/attention we can afford from our over-crowded lives? is it enough to give leftovers even if we've convinced ourselves that they are more than that? is this love...or is this something else that we've convinced ourselves is love?
so, i'm asking the question: what should it mean to say that we love God? how does it translate into everyday life? and how should it compare to the other things in life that we love, or even that we do on a regular basis?
and the question that has been haunting me: if someone were to look at my life, what would they say my greatest love was?
i'd love to hear what you think...
About Me
My Blog List
-
-
-
-
-
-
Gather It Up - a fall playlist9 years ago
-
-
Favorite Things Friday - April 1110 years ago
-
-
Hello Again!12 years ago
-
-
-
-
2 comments:
Just as your love for your niece and nephews is expressed through the time you spend thinking of them, and talking about them, the things and people a person is passionate about are evident to those around them. It is plain to anyone who has spoken to you for any more than 5 minutes that you love coffee and books and Paris. Similarly, a person's love for God is clear in the time they invest in their own spiritual growth and the spiritual growth of others, the time spent reflecting on God, His attributes, and His creation.
Conversely, while certain aspects of our love are visible to those around us, it is also easy to portray a love that is less than genuine. A married couple, for example, may have perfected the proverbial 'motions' and though it seems to others that their love continues to grow and evolve, this is not necessarily the case. Unless the couple invests in each other and their relationship it will falter, regardless of how it appears to others anyone else.
Just a thought...
Suzi is passionate about her Lord, her coffee, her hometown of Paris and the people that she weaves into the fabric of her life, whether family or friends. Suzi is a bright light to those around her and though she is too modest to see it, too valuable for words.
Post a Comment