When Love Leads...

Day 47:  Deuteronomy 4:44-8:20

My introduction to God was when I was an infant.  I was born on Tuesday, October 11, 1966.  I am sure that I experienced my first church gathering the next Sunday, which would have been October 16th.  My dad didn't waste time getting me into the habit of going to church gatherings or witnessing him share Jesus' story or working in the benevolence ministry helping the poor in the St. Louis area.  I saw love for God through my dad in real time...love in action. 

Moses told Israel to "love the Lord your God with all our heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." Deuteronomy 6:4-5  The love Moses told Israel to express wasn't a superficial...fake it until you mean it, love; rather it would be a love expressed through the experiences and witnessing God providing for them over the past forty years.  There were times when God's anger burned against Israel, but his love was deeper than his anger and more constant that any punishment he heaped on them.   

Love is magical.  Love fills in the gaps and holes of a broken life.  Love energizes the soul of one who feels betrayed or lied about or left out.  Love bandages the wounds of the brokenhearted and gives a hug to the griever and sits with the lonely and listens to the talker and gives moral support during the darkest times of a friends life. 

Jesus said the greatest command in life is to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind." Matthew 22:37  Jesus was a son...God's Son.  He knew more about his dad than anyone else and he knew the sacrifice he was about to experience because of his dad, and yet, he still knew the best answer to give the relentless lawyers who was more bent on prosecuting him, rather than listening to him.  Jesus knew the law more than the lawyers.  Jesus knew that love was the relational foundation with God and a sustaining experience with people.   

When love leads, priorities are right.  God is first.  When love leads, relationships grow, communities are better.  Safer.  Stronger.  Godly.  When love leads, obeying God isn't a chore, rather it's the norm.  When love leads, so many things go away...gossiping, lying about others, hate, prejudice, bullying, selfishness and godlessness. 

When loves leads, God is exalted and a proud heavenly Father!

Remember, Be God Controlled!