But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5: 8).
I have to start this article with a disclaimer; this has nothing to do with Valentine’s day! This theme has been in my heart for several weeks now and it wasn’t until I was halfway writing it, that I remembered that for some of you, the next big event is Wednesday 14th. Well, if the Spirit uses that to get the message across to you better, then so be it but it was never the intention of the writer.
The scripture reading for today tells us that God demonstrated His love to us. He did not just love us and quietly sit (up there) in heaven wishing we could peep into His heart and see just how much He loved us. No, He loved us and He did something to show us that He loved us. John 3: 16 says He ‘so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son’. His love was so much that He thought of the one thing He could do and leave the world in no doubt that He really loved us. So He gave His son. You probably have heard the made-up story of a man who asked God how much He loved Him. So God responded,‘ this much –‘ and he stretched out His arms and died on the cross. That was the demonstration of his love for mankind. It was the expression of His love for us.
A lot of Christians say that they love God and I have no doubt that they do but they do not express their love for Him to see. Love is not silent. By its very nature, it seeks expression. That means when you are bursting with love, naturally you will express it. If you wish to hide it you have to actively restrain yourself. And without restraint, love will come out in expression; in word or in deed. Proverbs 27: 5 says open rebuke is better than hidden love. Hiding takes an effort, and if you are not expressing your love, it means you are actively keeping it hidden, refusing to let it naturally express itself outwards. And in dealing with God, we need not hide our love, rather we should express it.
How then do you express your love for God? One obvious way is to tell Him. You need to say to Him ‘I love you Lord!’You need to sing and dance to him. You need to lift your hands and worship Him.Maybe write Him a love letter. You need to spend time with him in prayer and reading of his word. You need to think about Him, let thoughts of Him and His goodness fill our thoughts everyday. Sometimes you will find this makes you want to sing and shout and jump and clap and … just go crazy about him. You need to express your love for Him in whatever special and unique way you express love to the people you love.
When you win souls, give generously, visit the sick, preach and teach, you are also in a way expressing your love for God. But my emphasis today is on the words and deeds that you do just by yourself, in your closet, in the privacy of your life, to express your love to God. You need to be overt about expressing your love to God. It is fine to be cool calm and collected, but don’t let that hinder you from expressing your love to God.
Find a cool calm and collected way, if you can find one, to express your love for God.Openly and fearlessly and in a manifest way, express your love for God.
You will find that it changes your life in an amazing way but even if there was no such guarantee, well if you love Him, why not just go ahead and tell him so?
Express your love to God today! God bless you!
