This past week with me being sick with the flu gave me a lot of time to read and reflect on my own walk with the Lord. As I was reading I came across in a book by Thomas Watson where I was challenged greatly when he said:
“Let us test our godliness by this touchstone: Do we love God? Is He our treasure and centre? Can we, with David, call God our joy, yes, our exceeding joy (Psa. 43:4)? Do we delight in drawing near to him, and come before his presence with singing (Psa. 100:2)? Do we love Him for His beauty more than His jewels? Do we love Him, when He seems not to love us?”
Reflecting on those questions have challenged me all week long. Think about it for a moment. Do you really love God? Is God your greatest love and does your life reflect a love for God? Or do you turn away from God when things don’t go your way or at the first moment of difficulty or trial? One of the great Christian theologians St. Augustine once said, “I would hate my own soul, if I found it not loving God.” Thomas Watson also said, “Many court Him, but few love Him.” All of us would have to admit that many times in our life we are most consumed with ourselves, recognition, money and stuff more than we are consumed with a love for God. Jesus Himself even once said, ”Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” John 15:13 (NKJV) Now Jesus said this to tell the disciples to love each other and to obey His commandments. However, I think we can also conclude for this passage a test of our love for God. Wouldn’t it be logical to conclude from this passage and others in Scripture, that if we really love God our lives would be consumed with living for Him even to the point that we would lay our life down for Him? So, I will conclude with this question once more, do you & I really love God?
In Christ Alone,
Pastor Dewayne Slusher
