Loving God

God's word commands us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Everyone who believes in God would say that they in some sense love God. But how are we to know if we actually do love Him? Are there any tests by which we may ascertain the veracity of our professed love for God? Two ways by which we may know if we truly love the Lord are the giving of thanks and learning to be content. Of course these two things are related. Those who give thanks to God for all things tend to become content. Those who are content with what they have are usually thankful to God for His blessings. The 10th Commandment forbids coveting. When we covet what others have we are in effect complaining against God because He did not see fit to give those things to us. If we love God, we should be content with what we have.

Hebrews 13:5 says, "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'" God has given us, not everything we want, but everything we need. And above all He has given us Himself and will never leave us. Contentment comes when we know that God loves us, meets our needs and will never abandon us. This is true because of Christ's once and for all sacrifice on the cross for our sins and the subsequent gift of His Holy Spirit to us who believe. Do you love God? Are you content?

Secondly, if we love God, we will give thanks to Him at all times and in all things. And we will do so, not only with our lips, but from our hearts. That is, we will see God as our Creator and Provider and will realize our absolute dependence upon Him. Our response to God as our Creator and Provider is thanksgiving. In Romans 1:21 the apostle Paul indicates the great sin of mankind in turning away from God: "although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful." Francis Schaeffer writes, "The beginning of man's rebellion against God was, and is, the lack of a thankful heart." (True Spirituality)  True love for God is demonstrated by thanksgiving from the heart in all things. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, "in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." This must not be a superficial exercise. It is to sincerely acknowledge the goodness of God in my life in all circumstances. Every gift is from above and every trial is also from the loving hand of my heavenly Father. He makes all things work together for my good. Therefore I instinctively give thanks for His all-wise providence in working things for my good. And I especially give thanks for the indescribable gift of salvation in His Son Jesus Christ. By cultivating contentment and thanksgiving in our daily lives, we will be loving God and demonstrating to the world around us that God is good and worthy of praise.