What Does it Mean to Love God?

“Again Jesus said, “Simon, son of John, do you truly love me?”  He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep” John 21:16

Pain brings us back to the basics of our faith. “Do you love Me?” It’s a question Jesus asked Peter, his beaten, confused disciple.

In view of what had happened in the past week of crucifixion, Jesus might have asked Peter, “Do you understand what has happened?” This is the approach he used with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. As he walked with them he explained to them “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself” (Luke 24:27).

But not with Peter.  He cut through this disciple’s hurt and confusion and shame with one basic question, “Do you love me?”

Likewise in my confusion and pain, God did not give me an explanation. Like he did with Peter, He brought me back to this basic of the Christian faith: Do you love me? Even though prayers go unanswered. Your dreams lie buried. The wrong seems to triumph. Do you love me?”

“Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Our Loving God does not erase painful human emotions. Despite the turmoil, love grabs the steering wheel of our wills and pulls us towards God. We may journey through chilling mists of discouragement, doubt, and self-pity for a while, but our direction is clear.

Faith is not a grin-and-bear-it approach, but rather a quiet but firm determination: we will believe God is good no matter what circumstances look like. We will keep holding onto loving and obeying God.

Are you ready to say with me: “Father, you know that I love you.”

By Helen Lescheid

 

Guardian Angels

“For the angel of the Lord guards and rescues all who reverence Him” (Psalm 34:7).

For many years my travels have taken me from continent to continent, to scores of countries each year. I have traveled under all kinds of circumstances, not a few times faced with danger. But always there was peace in my heart that the Lord was with me and I was surrounded by His guardian angels to protect me.

In Pakistan, during a time of great political upheaval, I had finished a series of meetings in Lahore and was taken to the train station. Though I was unaware of what was happening, an angry crowd of thousands was marching on the station to destroy it with cocktail bombs.

The director of the railway line rushed us onto the train, put us in our compartments and told us not to open our doors under any circumstances – unless we knew that the one knocking was a friend. The train ride to Karachi would require more than 24 hours, which was just the time I needed to finish rewriting my book Come Help Change the World.

So I put on my pajamas, got in my berth and began to read and write. It was not until we arrived in Karachi some 28 hours later that I discovered how guardian angels had watched over us and protected us. The train in front of us had been burned when rioting students had lain on the track and refused to move. So the train ran over them and killed them. In retaliation, the mob burned the train and killed the officials.

Now we were the next train and they were prepared to do the same for us. But God miraculously went before us and there were no mishaps. We arrived in Karachi to discover that martial law had been declared and all was peaceful. A Red Cross van took us to the hotel and there God continued to protect us. When the violence subsided we were able to catch a plane out of Karachi for Europe.

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Bible Reading: Isaiah 63:7-9

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TODAY’S ACTION POINT: Today I will make a special point of expressing my gratitude to God for assigning guardian angels to watch over me, protect and help me in my time of trouble. I will not take for granted the protection that many times in the past I have overlooked, not recognizing God’s miraculous, divine intervention, enabling me to live a supernatural life.

Our Shepherd-king

Micah 5:4

Christ’s reign in His Church is that of a shepherd-king. He has supremacy, but it is the superiority of a wise and tender shepherd over his needy and loving flock. He commands and receives obedience, but it is the willing obedience of the well-cared-for sheep, rendered joyfully to their beloved Shepherd, whose voice they know so well. He rules by the force of love and the energy of goodness.

His reign is practical in its character. It is said, “He shall stand and shepherd.” The great Head of the church is actively engaged in providing for His people. He does not sit down upon the throne in empty state or hold a scepter without wielding it in government. No; He stands and shepherds. The expression “shepherd” in the original is like an analogous one in the Greek that means to do everything expected of a shepherd: to guide, to watch, to preserve, to restore, to tend, as well as to feed.

His reign is continual in its duration. It is said, “He shall stand and shepherd”; not “He shall feed now and then and leave His position”; not “He shall one day grant a revival and then next day leave His Church to barrenness.” His eyes never slumber, and His hands never rest; His heart never ceases to beat with love, and His shoulders are never weary of carrying His people’s burdens.

His reign is effectually powerful in its action; “He shall . . . shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD.” Wherever Christ is, there is God; and whatever Christ does is the act of the Most High. It is a joyful truth to consider that He who stands today representing the interests of His people is very God of very God, to whom every knee shall bow. We are happy to belong to such a shepherd, whose humanity communes with us and whose divinity protects us. Let us worship and bow down before Him as the people of His pasture.

 

Family Bible reading plan

• 1 Samuel 11
• Romans 9