 .
Costly, Difficult,
and Inconvenient Love for God
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by Tom
Caballes
"[Christ
Jesus] who, though he was in the form
of God, did not count equality with
God a thing to
be grasped, but emptied himself, by
taking the form of a servant, being
born in the likeness of
men. And being found in human form, he
humbled himself by becoming obedient
to the point of
death, even death on a cross." -
Philippians 2:6-8 ESV
We live in a world where love has been
romanticized too much. We can see this fact in the
movies and TV shows we watch. Why? Romantic love
sells. There is a place for romantic love,
especially in courtship and marriage, but if that
kind of love is all we look for with God, then we
become deluded. True love for God is far from
romantic love. It is many times hidden, tedious,
and unglamorous. It may seem unrewarded and
unrecognized – at least here on earth.
At times, true love for God is not cheap, easy or
comfortable; it may be costly, difficult, and
inconvenient. Jesus becoming human to die for us
is like you becoming a cockroach because you love
those critters so much that you become one of them
to die on their behalf. Think about that! If that
is how Jesus loved us, should not we be ready to
love Him back in a similar way? It will not always
be that way – but are you ready, when called, to
love God that is costly, challenging, and
inconvenient?
So How Do We
Grow in Loving God in the Same
Way He Loved Us?
- Offer
your life to God fully – no ifs and buts; no
strings attached. Desire to love God come
hell or high waters, no matter how much it
would cost, no matter how hard it might be,
and no matter how inconvenient it could get.
Desire to love God with all of your life for
the rest of your life. Live a sacrificial
love for God daily.
- Be
formed by the word of God. Do not be
conformed to this world, but be
transformed by the renewal of your mind,
that by testing you may discern what is
the will of God, what is good and
acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2
ESV) Let God transform your selfish love to
one that is like God’s love for us – full,
lavish, and unconditional.
- Offer
your heartaches, failures, and
disappointments to God. Life on this side of
eternity is not meant to be perfect; if it
were perfect, why would we wait for our
eternal hope in God? Some of our prayers
will remain unanswered. Can we still love
God even if our prayers do not go our way?
Or would we act like spoiled brats who will
throw a tantrum before God? Even at times of
heartaches, confusion, and disappointments,
we can still love God because we know
everything will turn out good for those who
love Him – see Romans 8:28.
- Aim
to live a martyrs’ life - not necessarily
the one who will give his life fully to God
once, but one who will offer everything he
has to God daily in costly love. It may come
in the form of forbearing a grumpy office
mate daily or forgiving someone who has hurt
you badly – these are all chances to offer a
costly love for God. Practice denying
yourself; since you belong to God, you are
not your own anymore – see 1 Corinthians
6:19-20.
- We
can only love God based on how much
understanding and appreciation we have of
how much God loves us first – see Ephesians
3:14-19. Live a life of gratitude for God’s
love for you. For those who are forgiven
much, loves much. Streams of costly,
difficult, and inconvenient love for God
will overflow out of your heart naturally
the more you know and draw closer to Him.
Loving God will become a pleasure rather
than a pain. And you cannot outdo God in His
love for you! So dwell, bathe, and meditate
on God’s love for you always.
Other Scripture passages:
- “This
is my commandment, that you love one
another as I have loved you. Greater love
has no one than this, that someone lay
down his life for his friends. (John
15:12-13 ESV)
- By
this we know love, that he laid down his
life for us, and we ought to lay down our
lives for the brothers. (1 John 3:16 ESV)
- Other
Bible verses: John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 13:
1-7; Ephesians 5:1-2; Galatians 2:20; and
Romans 8:35.
For
personal reflection or
group sharing
- In
what ways does your love for God cost you,
inconvenience you, or difficult for you to
do?
- How
can you live a daily martyr’s life in your
circumstances?
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Tom
Caballes is the
National Senior
Administrator and a
National Coordinator
of the Lamb
of God, a
community of the
Sword of the Spirit
with 7 branches
located throughout
New Zealand. Tom
also leads Kairos
New
Zealand, an
outreach program for
high school,
university, and
post-university aged
people.
Tom and
his wife Mhel and
their two
daughters live in
Wellington, New
Zealand.
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