We who are Jesus followers too often forget the central command Jesus gave us. He wants us to love God - the Father, Son and Spirit. Love for God should result in several things: obeying His commands; serving others in Jesus name; loving others as we love ourselves. Yet real love for God means we will desire God Himself and enjoy Him forever.
If we are honest, it is not always the case. A popular way of putting it is that many Christians desire God's hand but not His heart. We want God's blessing, His supply of our needs, His answer to our prayers, but do we want to know God Himself.
I love Jan and have loved her for four decades. As my love has grown, I have found I want to serve her well and serve her more. I like to do what she wants and relate well to those who are important to her. But if I told you we spend little time together and I am OK with that, you might wonder about my love for her. If I am committed to serving her and love what she does for me, but don't care if I get to know her, wouldn't you wonder?
I read Psalm 27 today. It is very clear that the psalmist wants to know God. Consider how he desires to be in the Temple, the house of the Lord. It is because he wants "to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him" (27:4) He writes "My heart says of you, 'Seek his face!' Your face Lord, I will seek." (27:8) He wants to know and enjoy God.
Sometimes in talking with people, evangelicals speak of "having a personal relationship with God." Yet I am afraid that many settle for something much less than an intense personal relationship. If we spend little time listening, thinking about what God has said in the Bible; if our prayers are mostly requests for ourselves and others; if we do things for God but rarely think of Him or pray to Him during our normal day; are we developing a personal relationship?
I mentioned in yesterday's blog that many of us find it astounding that the Creator of the universe knows about each of us and cares about each of us. However I wonder if the angels find it equally astounding that puny little humans live such busy little lives filled with work and entertainment, that they make little or no time to enjoy the presence of God, to enjoy what He says, to really share their lives with Him. Given the opportunity to seek and know God, how foolish we are if we settle for only knowing about Him.
Perhaps you should take time, as I did today, in Psalm 27. Be honest with yourself. Can you identify with how the psalmist feels about God? Ask our patient, gracious God, to increase your desire for Him alone. And begin to take regular time with God - not in a ritual manner but truly enjoying what He says in His Word and talking to Him about all of life. May more of us seek God as the psalmist did.
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