For the Love of God

February is blowing you a kiss of greeting! If the red hearts and romantic reminders have not gotten your attention yet, perhaps this "word nerd" question will: Isn’t it ironic that the idiom "Oh for the love of God" is used to express utter exasperation, anger, or impatience?

Although the God of the Old Testament was revealed in these contexts, when grace entered the New Testament stage, everything changed. Those very words, instead, should challenge Christians to raise the bar and DO BETTER: the clarion call to love. We live in times of high anxiety, unparalleled pain, and heightened emotions—with random shootings becoming the order of the day. People are dissatisfied with their governments and lifelong relationships have been cast aside because someone cast the "wrong" vote. Friend, one thing that I know is this: No matter what your flavor of politics is, BITTERNESS IS NOT SERVED ON GOD'S MENU.

We represent a different kingdom that should be about the business of Heaven and that means ministering to the broken, loving the unlovable, and finding a need to fill. There is nothing that expresses love quite like praying for someone who has lost their way. Did you know that God never equated the manifestation of spiritual gifts to the proof of His presence? Although speaking in tongues, prophesying, or healing the sick can be powerful signs of spiritual activity, the distinguishing mark of a true believer is a consistent love walk! The words of Mahatma Gandhi should pierce and penetrate our religious veneer. “I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

Distraction is the enemy of progress; perfect love is the target that we should keep in our sights. Don’t take the bait of the enemy, exhausting your energy and resources on topics that engender division and have no eternal significance. Research shows that the brain can only effectively focus on one task at a time. That means that mental clutter renders us less effective. But love moves us towards perfection and maturity in Christ. Religious piety and groupthink lead to pseudo love--in other words, shallow and missing the key ingredient of authenticity. There is an epidemic of loneliness right now; your response reveals your true citizenship. You are an ambassador of Heaven with an assignment to love your neighbor.

When you gaze into someone's eyes, your heart rate can synchronize with theirs. In fact, falling in love can have similar neurological effects to taking cocaine. I once heard someone say that “falling” does not usually end well. Chemical reactions, such as "butterflies in your stomach" are very temporary and they are caused by the flow of adrenaline. Ultimately, this powerful stage of love is unsustainable. The concept of romance is overrated because it depends on our fickle senses. Romantic love is a beautiful and overwhelming feeling, but the love of God is boundless. There is something very reassuring about knowing that your place in the heart of God has been forever settled. Did you realize that He adores you?

God has issued the mandate to continue demonstrating love in the world-- that is easier said than done. If you are anything like me, you may have grown up experiencing conditional love or religion that warped your thinking rather than conveying an accurate view of a loving father. So first, we must deconstruct the flawed foundation in our own lives. Perfect love is the antidote to fear. Even if the urgency to love others is missing, we can start with intentional prayer. “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” ~Lao Tzu Live WITH a motive but love WITHOUT a motive! Do it, for the love of God!

February Challenge Questions:

*Is my love self-serving or other-centered?

*Do I take the time to love others intentionally?

*Am I willing to become a love student?

*Is my heartbeat synchronized with God's?

*Is my love proactive or reactive?

*God loves humanity. Do I?

John 13:34-35 (NIV)

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”