Loving God

Now that the romance of Valentine’s Day is behind us, can we shift our focus of love for ourselves and others to the most important relationship –  To love God.  I love God, of course I do, but do I love God well.  For much of my life doing was my measurement of loving God, did I do enough for Him.  And certainly, when we love someone, we want to do things for them, so yes, that’s a real thing, but… is that it?

The Heart of Jesus

A few years ago, I was going through the study “Captiving” by Staci Eldredge. In it, Staci was talking about Genesis describing us as being created in God’s image, male and female He created us, but then she went on to say “we bear the image of God, but in a way only women can. What does that tell you about the heart of God?”

It feels like a simple question, but let that sink in… I can’t even tell you what these words did to me. I was in my mid 30s and had spent most of my life apologizing – I’m too needy, I’m too emotional, I’m sorry I need you to tell me you love me, I’m sorry I need you to pursue me, I’m sorry I still need to hear that you like me and want to spend time with me, etc. I’d spent so many years thinking of this is a feminine weakness, neediness, insecurity and in an instant I realized, it’s not that at all.

This is the feminine heart of Jesus – this is a reflection of Him and His desires – he wants to be desired, to be pursued, to be known. He wants quality time, He wants words of joy and enjoyment, He wants all of me and wants me to want all of those things with Him. Those desires are holy, God-given – I was just looking for answers in all the wrong places. I was looking to my husband and my family and my friends, and yes they have a role to play in this, but this bottomless ache, this empty void, is a place only Jesus can fill and it was meant for him.

Andschana Aljets is the Executive Director of Finding Zarephath.  She loves to share the things she is learning and hearing with the rest of you and invites you on the journey with her.  “None of us have arrived, I am closer today than I was 10 years ago, and will be closer 10 years from now than I am today.”

 

 

Loving Better

We were designed to walk in relational intimacy with the God of everything – we were designed to see him delight in us, rule the world with us, laugh with us, sing in the rain with us.  We just celebrated relational love last week, our world tried to sell us love in flowers, and cards, and expensive gifts and dinners out, but truthfully, most of us just wanted a reminder of the connection we feel to someone when we are deeply known.

You are deeply known.  God knows every hair on your head, every dream in your heart, every fear that settles in your stomach.  He delights in you and sees you.  And He wants the same.  Will you join me in choosing to continue to know Him, to pursue Him, to see Him.  Oh, how often I don’t see Him. I continue to lean how to love Him better.

Love Well!

 

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