Sermon monologue for Sunday, February 9, 2003

Our Love for God - Page 1 of 2

We are at the Sunday before Valentines and the first thing that comes to my mind when I think about Valentines is Love. On that day we tell our loved ones how much we love them. Many of us will attempt to show them our love by sending cards and flowers. Sadly for many, that day is the only day of the year that we attempt to show our love for them.

Have you ever thought about the word love? It is used in so many ways in today's society. Someone that was trying to learn our language would have a very difficult time understanding all that we mean when using the word love. The Webster dictionary has 21 different definitions for the word love. The word love can mean so many different things depending on the context that it is used. Allow me share just a few:

• Puppy love
• I love to read
• I love that T.V. show
• I love that car
• I love to play sports
• I love you

It is easy to confuse love with an emotion that is to say that love is a feeling. Tina Turner in one of her songs called it a secondhand emotion. Ms. Turner is wrong in that love is not an emotion. Love is not a feeling. It causes feelings and it causes emotions, but it is neither a feeling nor an emotion. As circumstances change your feelings and emotions also change. Love on the other hand is a commitment that when everything else changes, love stays the same. Love is unconditional. No matter what happens the only thing love can do is grow.

This morning I want us to think about our love for God. We are told to love God with all that is within us.

Mark 12:28 -30
28One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"
29"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength."

If I were to ask you how well are you keeping this commandment, to love God? I would guess that each one of you would answer with an enthusiastic, "We love God." Some might even tell me," Brother Tim if I didn't why would I be at church today?"

Let me share something that comes from a book entitled Lessons from a Sheep Dog written by a Phillip Keller. In it he writes this, "It simply is not normal, nor natural for most of us to love God... Love for the Master is not some sweet sentimental emotion that sweeps over the soul in moments of special piety. Love for Christ is a deliberate setting of the will to carry out His commands at any cost. It is the fixed attitude of heart that decides to do His will at all times. It is the desire and the delight of accomplishing our father's highest purpose, no matter how challenging...."

What do you think about that? I wish we had time to stop and discuss what you think about that statement. Let me read the first part of it again. "It simply is not normal, nor natural for most of us to love God"

I have had a little longer to think about this statement. I believe that Mr. Keller has an argument that can be made. If we stop and really think about it, I believe that he is more accurate than we would like to admit. Some of you might be thinking, I don't agree with you Bro. Tim. I find it easy to love God. Why do you think that Mr. Keller is right in that statement? To answer that, let me ask you a question, "How do we show our love for God?" We can't send him a Valentine card that says we love you. We can't send him flowers.

John 14:15  "If you love me, you will obey what I command"

The way that we truly show our love for God is by being obedient to his commands. The question that we each have to ask ourselves is, "How well are we doing at keeping all of his commandments?" At times it can be very difficult to do what God has commanded us to do and makes it hard to love him.

This morning, I want us to look at a man I think found it very difficult to be an obedient servant and found it hard to love God. He is an Old Testament Prophet. Turn to the book of Hosea. He was a Prophet to the northern kingdom, which is Israel. At the time of Hosea's ministry, Israel as a nation had turned her back on God. They were worshiping many other gods. It very important that we have this understanding of Israel, to understand what God has asked Hosea to do.