What does our love look like?

I am studying Malachi right now with some dear sisters. (There will be more about him in later posts) I was relatively unfamiliar with that book and am learning that it is a wealth of information of how to draw closer to Christ. It helps bring into focus where our relationship with Him really stands. Let's look at it like this. Have you ever had a friend and thought you were really close then through a series of occurrences come to the realization that person doesn't care about you as much as you thought. Maybe they posted pictures of themselves with other mutual friends at a fun ladies night out and you weren't invited. Or maybe you find out about a major event in her life like a wedding or pregnancy from someone else. How do we really know how others feel about us? And more importantly how do we determine how much we care about Christ.

I had a dear friend tell me recently that at one point during her Christian walk she came to realize that she did not love God. She shared with me the shock she experienced when she realized that. Her faith is deep and I often talk to her when wrestling with deep spiritual topics I have a hard time resolving in my head. She often gives wonderful perspective and I see things better and many times we just wonder together.

How can a Christian not love God? We have accepted Him as our Savior and know the sacrifice He made for us. Surely this would be a rare occurrence, right?  Those words kept rolling around in my head over and over again. Then I realized not only is it not rare but the typical state of the heart of today's Christian. Just like the evidence we use to determine how solid our relationships are with our friends or loved ones, we can do a similar inventory of how much we love God or not. We are all familiar with the verse when Pharisees asked Jesus, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ Matthew 22:36-37 (NKJV) What does that really mean!?!?

My friends, hear me say, with anyone we love there will be evidence of that love. We think about that person, we want to spend time with them, learn about them, do for them, make sacrifices for them. I challenge you to take inventory of your life with Christ and evidence of your love for Him. I have been doing the same and was not pleased with what I found. I spent too much time on Facebook, Pinterest, and watching TV, and to much energy on hobbies, among many other things I am still working through.

Do we love Christ, and if we do, is it with all our hearts, and all our souls, and all our minds? What are we sacrificing for Him? Do we have a desire to read His word, spend lengthy amounts of time talking to Him and listening to what He has to say? Are we eagerly looking for opportunities to carve out blocks of time to spend with Him? Our lives should be consumed with thoughts of Him even when we are being productive at work, or school, or caring for a sick loved one.

Ponder the possibility that maybe you don't love God, and as uncomfortable as that my be to face and as prickly it is to deal with it doesn't have to stay that way, AND passing through that door will bring you to a place that is much closer to Christ.