How Do You Know He Loves You???

Picture courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures Enchanted

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRYU4cqUAUs

How do you know that He loves you?  These are the words to a catchy tune from the movie Enchanted.  The question is basically asking...how do you know it's true love?  The Lord has been teaching me a lot lately about true love with Him.  I am only beginning to know the full extent of His love and most likely will never fully grasp it until I am on the other side of the veil.  In my research...I have gone to the greatest resource...HIS Word....which are love letters to us!

What does the Bible say about True Love?  

Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  1 Corinthians 13:  4-7

We all know that God's love is unimaginable, undeserving, and constant...but do we also realize that love is a two way street?  Think about those closest to you for a minute...do you really truly love THEM?  I have to admit that I am not always patient which another translation says "long suffering".  When someone does something that hurts me...I usually have a knee jerk reaction and am ready to write them off.  But the Lord is teaching me about Grace and Compassion...which means that no matter how many times someone may hurt me...I need to still show them compassion and grace. Now this does not mean that we are a walking doormat. How I look at it is that there are MANY things I have been forgiven for and the Lord has been VERY long suffering with me...so I need to do the same. I am still in a very infant stage with this...but the Lord is good and takes me as He finds me...with all my faults and failures.  Praise Him!

Going back to those in your life...can you look at the different "do nots" of love and say that I don't show envy towards anyone...I don't boast about anything of me?  When I look into my own heart I can honestly say that I fall short on most of these.

So what would you say if the Lord asked you if you loved Him?  Last week our director shared a powerful devotion on Peter's focus and commitment to the Lord...referring to the passage in John 15-25 (Jesus Reinstates Peter).   When Jesus asked Peter "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"  We discussed that after Jesus death...Peter probably went back to what he knew...what made him comfortable...fishing.  Here walks up Jesus and tells them to cast their nets to the other side...and fills it with 153 fish.  You could imagine that Peter may have been a little discouraged after the death of Jesus...and was ready to give up his discipleship career if you will...and go back to being a fisherman.  

What was Peter's answer to the Lord? Peter answered,  "Yes, Lord, you know that I love YOU". Notice he did not say "You know I love you MORE THAN THESE THINGS!"  Big difference there.  Not only that...I could imagine Peter's brain being like a movie reel at that time...playing back memories...perhaps of the first time Jesus called him to be a disciple. That is where Jesus said..."Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.  AT ONCE they left their nets and followed him.  Mark 1:17-18  I am sure that Peter had such a pain in his heart when he was reminded of how his enthusiasm and trust in the Lord was so big back then...and now had dwindled to him leaving his calling.  It must have been heart wrenching. 

I can picture in my mind and heart all too well how Peter may have felt.  Recently I informed those closest to me that I have been suffering from discouragement (long winter without much sunshine...car accident...lack of transportation).  I am coming out of the dark cloud I was in...but I must admit that I was looking at the present and not remembering what all the Lord had called me to in the past. You see..these verses in Mark are the scriptures that the Lord used to call me to be in full time missions.  At the time of my calling, I was in the height of my ministry career...where I had many opportunities to Glorify Him.  Finally the Lord used this verse to convict me that the only reason I was not already serving on the mission field is because I had become comfortable. I can relate to that instant reaction of "I know where I need to be and know how to get there!"

I too was like Peter just recently...where I was so focused on my present situation that I had forgotten the confidence I had back then in my calling.  But praise God...He has reminded me...just like He did with Peter.  It has been heart wrenching to look inside and be asked..."Do you love me more than these things?" ...and for a second time none the less!!!  But I would not trade it for the world.  

So how do I know He loves me?  Because "The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it."  1 Thes 5: 24.  He is patient or long suffering with me.  He keeps no records of wrong...even when I have so many wrongs in my life.  He is protecting me (my neck injury ended up to not be too traumatic).  He is EVERYTHING to me.  Now...I just need to continually check my own life and ask "Do I love you (God) more than these things?".  

Father God, please show us where we might be falling short of loving you more than the things in our lives...whatever that might be.  If you are calling us...let us have and keep that enthusiastic immediate response of obedience. Lord today...let me bask in that calling you have placed in my life and be an encouragement to others as well.  Thank you for talking with us this morning.  Amen