This is the question my good friend John asked me as we talked a few nights ago. It seems like a no-brainer. Do I love God?? Well…yes. It was odd when he first asked me – my first reaction was, “Where is he going with this…? Do I love God? Of course I do. I mean…crap, do I? How do I love God…but, I’m a Christian! Of COURSE I love God…I can’t NOT love God…right? Umm…” How does one answer this question? I tried to give a good answer: “Yah, I love God. I mean, I don’t always understand God, or like God, or the things God does…but…I love God.”
John doesn’t know how he would answer that question. And after talking with him, I’m not sure we can be so quick to answer that question either. Do we love God? How? How do we know we love God? There are way too many verses that say something like “If you obey my commands, then you love me” and “This is love for God; to obey his commands.” Umm, shit. Do I obey God’s commands? Nope. Not very often. So, what does that mean? Does that mean I don’t love God?
John and his dad had a great conversation about this, and his dad eventually said, “You know John, whenever you say ‘I love you dad’ when we’re talking on the phone, I’m always like, ‘Sure, yah, great…that’s nice.’ But when I see you loving other people, your siblings, your Young Life kids, anyone, that’s when it really hits me, and that’s when I know that you love me. When you love other people, I see and know your love for me.” John wonders (and I wonder right along with him) if when we say “God, I love you,” God’s not just like, “Yah, okay – great…but really, go out and love others and then I’ll really know your love.” Do I love God? I try to. I want to love God. But do I…?
Do you love God?
