It’s been a while since I’ve last blogged, 10 months to be exact haha. Since I’ve last blogged many things have changed. I have returned home, I have started a new job, I have gone thru a season or two and the Lord has taught me a lot about patience, kindness, pursuit, persistence, but most of all love.
In the few 25 years I’ve lived on this earth one thing has permeated my life no matter where I’ve been or what I’ve done…love. I’ve had loving parents who have loved me no matter what, supported me, disciplined me, provided for me, who have laughed with me, and cried with me. I’ve had loving siblings, grandparents, friends, acquaintances, family pets, everything. I have been truly blessed with love. But most of all I have been blessed with the Love of God. He has blessed me, disciplined me, laughed with me, cried with me, supported me, cared for me…He has LOVED me and He has loved me for no other reason than because I am His son!
For as long as I can remember God has put Love on my heart and in my life. For the past 6 years or so there has been a verse that has steered my life…
“Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
-Matthew 22:37-40
If you read my blogs you’ll most likely find me referencing this verse quite often. I can’t seem to shake it; I can’t seem to move past it. Its like God continually puts it on my heart again, and again, and again. When I think I’m done learning about it, it pops back up. When I think I have it understood, it breaks me again and I learn more. And I think I just scratched the surface as to why.
“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.”
-1 Corinthians 13:1-3
The other day I was at Monday morning worship at the Adventures in Missions office and God put 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 on me heart. I decided to read it and God revealed to me why my life song has been love. Why my life is so permeated with love, why Matthew 22:37-40 has been all over my heart and life for the past few years. Why I can’t shake it, why I can’t move past it.
As I read 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 it hit me. If we don’t do things out of love then we are doing things for nothing. Love should be the driving force behind everything we do. We can do all the right things, we can read the bible day in and day out, we can be in constant prayer, we can worship for hours on end, we can journal everyday, we can work in full time ministry, but if its not in love then its nothing. God doesn’t work out of obligation. He did not send Jesus because He had to. Jesus did not die for us because it was the “right thing to do”. He did it because He loves us. He works out of love!
We can even live out God’s will for lives, but if we don’t do it out of love then it’s for nothing. So I have decided Love. I have decided to move out of love, to do things that are going to cultivate love in my life. I don’t want to move out of obligation, out of frustration, out of “have to” or “should”. I am going to move out of love! I am going to cultivate greatness in my life! I am going to live a life of love. I want to walk in a room and people feel the presence, the love of Christ just like people did when Jesus walked into places.
I am proclaiming love over my life. I am choosing it. I am going to be a loving husband to my wife. She will never question my love for her and will always know her husband loves her. I will put her above myself and I will coat her with love always. I am going to be a loving father to my children. I will love them unconditionally and I will always be there for them no matter what. I will lead my family into a walk with the Lord and we will proclaim the goodness of our Savior all the days of our lives. I am going to be love to my friends and even to my enemies. I will bless them and when asked for a shirt I will hand it over gladly and give my coat as well (Matthew 5:40). If asked to go a mile a with them I will go two (Matthew 5:41).
I am going to be a man of love! Not a man of obligation. I am going to live a life of passion, of greatness, of life for my King and Savior and I will do so out of love. Love changes everything. Love is what we are called to do.
I challenge you. Re-evaluate your life, your relationship with God (whether you have one or not). Are you living a life out of love or obligation? You can be living a life for God and you can be missing out on the greatest part….love. God doesn’t want your obligations; He doesn’t want your sacrifices, your praises, your money, your anything if it’s not out of love. Choose a life of love! Choose to love your family, your friends, choose to love God.
Let your life song be love!
