Verse of the Day - Psalm 18:1

I love you, O LORD, my strength.
~ Psalm 18:1 (NIV)

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Those words are so easy to say . . . but often hard to display.

~ We say we love Him, yet we struggle with our selfishness to give a tithe offering on a consistent basis or to be generous to someone who is in need...

~ We say we love Him, yet we want to get back at someone who's done us wrong...

~ We say we love Him, yet we doubt His judgment when things don't go our way...

Jesus says that when we obey His commands, that proves our love for Him (John 14:15). But we struggle and struggle against sin, day in and day out, don't we? Does that mean that we don't love Him at all? No, but we can fall into that mindset. I know I have.

I kind of have an 'all-or-nothing' mentality that I struggle with. Not sure where it came from, but I have my guesses. For example, it's rather legalistic to say that if your kids don't obey you 100%, all the time, that they don't love you. If you disappoint your spouse or your good friend by forgetting a special day or speaking an unkind word, does that mean you don't love them? No. We are not 100% in this life. Our flesh is in constant battle with our spirit, and we face spiritual forces every day of our lives! The same is true for our love relationship with God. If we look at our failure to obey Him here and there, we can be led to believe that we don't love God. But that is legalism. The law leaves no room for error, but grace is giving. And I'm so glad that God is a gracious God.

If our heart's desire is to love someone, we strive to do our best to honor that person in loving ways, in ways that speak to them -- their love language. God's love language is obedience. So if we say we love God, then our lives need to be moving in the direction of obedience to what He calls us to do. If you're not sure what that is, just pick up your Bible and start reading. And please know that what God calls His children to be is not just a list of do's and don'ts -- it's a model of righteousness, a pattern after God's own heart. It's based on love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galations 5:23). Against these things, there is no law.

So love God today -- and you don't even have to speak the words to tell Him, because as we all know, actions speak louder than words.

Love,
Joelene