Serving Through Love

“Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” Ephesians 3:17-19 NLT


“Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’” Matthew 22:37 NLT
How do I feel loved by God? Is it an emotional response? Is it because I received something that I prayed for? Is it wrapped up in him meeting my needs? Maybe it's a little bit of all of that. Only I know where I am with the Lord. I know the real part of who I am and how much of my relationship with God is just following the rules because I know it's the right thing to do. For me, learning to love the Lord has been an ongoing process. Most of us are selfish and want to receive. It’s our nature. We are born into sin, and we simply want what we want. Why does a baby cry? It wants something. Why does a toddler throw a fit? It wants something. Many of us never get beyond that stage in our walk with Christ. We want the Lord to meet all of our needs, and we do need Him to provide all these things, but (“buts” are always a sign of twist) the example He gave through Christ was a life of service. Christ was not here to be served, though that is what he deserved, but to serve. This is our calling. Serving is how we show love and in return how we receive it. Our purpose is to love others in His name. If we are the hands and feet of Christ and we are the way He accomplishes His will on Earth, then surely those hands are the same ones that embrace us and shows us His love. Surely the acts of kindness we show to others is Him reaching out and embracing them with His own arms.

How and when do you feel loved by God?
Have you ever felt unloved by God because His actions toward you didn't match your expectations?