09/01/2019
We come to God with our needs, and thank Him for those things He has done for us; we even ask Him to forgive us, and to help us be more like Him, but how often do we really tell Him “I Love You”? Are we guilty of treating our prayers of love for God like Hallmark Valentine’s Day cards, and find ourselves repeating to Him someone else’s thoughts, and words, or do we open our hearts and pour our own personal feelings out to Him as Asaph did?
“Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.”
Psalms 73:25 ESV
The Psalms are full of expressions of love towards God, and praying them is a good start as we open our feelings to Him, but there is nothing more convincing and satisfying than to receive the heartfelt expression of love from someone in their own words. Refrigerators around the world are covered with the notes and pictures of little children, and the great majority of them say “I Love You.” There is no pre-prepared statement of love that carries greater value than these, no sweet poem written by another that can ever express our sincere heart, and no quote recited that can pour out our feelings in a more sincere way than than words from our own heart... even when written in crayon, or offered in finger paint.
God sings to us, and gave His Son for us out of love. Who writes the songs He sings? Who has ever given a more personal gift of love to another than He? In this way we are to express our love for Him... offered up from the depths of our heart as a gift that no one else can give. Our song, and our gift of obedience telling Him of our deep and abiding love.
“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17 ESV
No exquisitely crafted words offered by the even the most exceptional of poets can match the three simple words “I Love You” when they are spoken by sincere lips while another looks through our eyes, and into our soul at the the truth within our heart. Comparing our love to to someone else’s, or regifting a pledge of love written for another’s lover will never suffice as we describe our feelings... only our words, and our true emotion. What would be the response you would receive if your true love asked you the simple question “Do you Love me?”, and your answer was a recitation...
“How do I love you? Let me count the ways.
I love you to the depth, and breadth, and height...” - Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Love is always intimate, and God asks us specifically for that deep personal commitment in the Old Testament, and Jesus reinforces this again in the New Testament. Listen to them both...
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”
Deuteronomy 6:5-7 ESV
“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'”
Mark 12:30 ESV
The Bible is a lot of things, but first and foremost it is a love story. It is the story of God’s love for us, and ours for Him. What does your personal psalm convey? What does your melody of love sound like? Today let’s begin a deeply personal prayer by telling God just how much we love Him, and then obeying His commandments as we show Him that love in action. It can be a simple note on the refrigerator door, or a well crafted sonnet... it just needs to come from our heart. In this way we will be loving God just as He loves us... intimately, and completely.
“I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.”
Proverbs 8:17 ESV
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for loving me, even before I was formed in the womb, and from the foundation of the earth. Hear my prayers Lord as I pour out my heart to you, and love you with my entire being. See into my very soul, and understand the depths of my love, and the sincerity with which I offer it. Holy, Holy, Holy are you my God who has given me His love, and received mine. Praised be your name, written in love, and sung by the lips of all those who love you. Hear me now in my secret prayer as I reach out to you in words of love from my heart.....
“But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
Matthew 6:6 ESV
Rich Forbes