Absolutely Required

This is a short illustration that you might want to add to your service on Sunday to celebrate love.

Deut 10:12  "And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul,

You know about requirements. Maybe your  teacher explained the requirements or what you absolutely had to do to make a passing grade at the beginning of the school year. Or, perhaps your soccer coach explained that you are required to attend practice at least once a week to play on the team. Or, you mom requires you to clean your plate if you are going to get to eat dessert. In every area of life there are basic requirements. God has some requirements; some basics necessities; things you must do.

Moses taught them to the Jewish people while they were still in the wilderness. But this basic requirement is actually rooted in the Ten Commandments. And, let me point out here, this wasn't Moses suggestion, it was God's absolute requirement.
1. Fear the Lord.
2. Obey the Lord
3. Love the Lord.
4. Serve the Lord.

Don't panic when you notice in that verse "fear the Lord." God is not talking about the fear that  grips you and makes you run hide or cower so you don't get hit. This is a reverential fear that causes you to recognize the authority God has over your life. It cause you to respect, reverse directions and obey Him because He is God. This is a very important attitude to have because as much as God loves you, He is also King of Kings and you will stand before Him and give account of your actions.

I want to move to requirement 3, Love the Lord. We talk about love a lot. We love football. By the way, did your team win the Super Bowl? That's another subject for another day. We love ice cream or cartoons. But that's not the way God wants us to love. That a "change with your mood" kind of love. Sometimes you do and sometimes you don't love. God wants you to love Him with a deeper affection. A love that goes deeper than a mood or whim, all the way to the kind that changes your actions and attitudes. He said in John 14:15 NKJV  "If you love Me, keep My commandments." When we love God deeply it affects everything we do and say. It affects who we select for our closest friends, what we do with our time and how we spend our money. What or who we love changes who we are and the other things we love.

Do you love God? Do you really love God? Do you really, really love God? Is it reflected in your choices, your attitudes, in your life? If you really love Him it will show.

Bow your head with me and let's pray. (Your prayer should be from your heart, mine sounds something like this.) Father, your word tells me that I must love you not just when I come to church, but with a deep love that causes me to obey, serve and follow you every day. Forgive me for the times when I have loved my way better than your way. Help me to love you more. Help me to live out that love by spending time with you and serving you daily.