Monday, November 30, 2009

In This 2009, We Will...(7)

I stumbled on a blog that has helped me learn more about the women in the bible. I loved participating in the discussions (it made me read my bible and study before talking). Little did I know that one day I would be a contributor. Thanks Freedom and Hadassah for such privilege.
If you want to learn more about women in the bible, and participate in the discussions, please feel free to visit The Women in the Bible Journey.


In This 2009, We Will...
During my final year in university, I assisted a couple of classmates with their final project. Some needed direction and supervision. Some needed help in proofreading and editing. Some needed encouragement. One met me 2 weeks before defense and said he did not even have a topic. In less than a week, his project was ready. He asked me how much he would pay me to help. I told him nothing (though at the back of my mind I was hoping he would give me something). After defense, I received a couple of notes, thank you cards and gifts. The one whom I helped write project under the tight deadline disappeared after defense. No thank you talkless of payment. That is life!

But one of them stood out amongst the rest. She gave me more than thank you cards and gifts. She gave me her friendship. We built a wonderful relationship which has turned 9 years this year. From my own point of view, she gave me her heart in gratitude for what I did.

Could it be that God wants more than our gifts, our service, and our outward confession that we love Him? Is there something more required of us?

In this 2009, We Will Love God With All Our Heart

Recall the purpose for this series is to learn what we should do as we expect to see/experience the physical manifestation of that which we desire.

Loving God with all your heart is the first and greatest commandment as stated, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” [Mtt 22:37-40, Mrk 12:28-34].

Loving God with your whole heart is the key to everything in life because your relationship with God affects everything and everyone in your life. You can’t love God and hate your neighbor. You can’t love God and continue living in sin.
We are commanded to love God with our whole heart. This is because it is possible to love God with only a part of your heart. Do you respond to God only when He does something good for you? Do you put other things before Him like relationship, work, or leisure? Have you forgotten your first love? [Rev. 2:4].

You might be going through some challenges in your life making you feel God does not love you anymore. But if you stop to listen, you will hear the voice of God reminding you that He loves you unconditionally, telling you that He wants you and hoping you could let Him in to fill the void in your heart. God is faithful and loving. Sometimes, He uses situations to get our attention yet He does not let the situation overwhelm us. Someone told me that for years she had been looking for a child. It was not until she was bedridden that she realized she had not opened her bible in 5 years. It was her time on the bed that she used to rebuild her relationship with God. Not long after, she had a baby.

Sometimes I think on Mary and the Alabaster Box [John 12:3]. It suddenly dawned on me that when she poured out the contents of the alabaster jar on Jesus, she knew that the ointment was nothing compared to the worth of Jesus Christ. It was a sacrifice that came from the heart. That is when an offering or a sacrifice has meaning. God sees our hearts and He knows our motives. It is what is in our hearts that matter to Him.

It is not too late to say “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting…” [Psalms 139:23-24].

Love God with all your heart. He already loves You. Tell me, has He not been good to you in this 2009? Do not forget the Lord your God [Deut 8:10-11].

For Further Reading
1. How to Love God with all your heart
2. The Greatest Commandment
3. Love God With All Your Heart

For other posts in this series please visit the links below:
1. In This 2009, We Will Pray for Others
2. In This 2009, We Will Worship The Lord
3. In This 2009, We Will Know God for Ourselves
4. In This 2009, We Will Guard Our Hearts
5. In This 2009, We Will Sow Seeds
6. In This 2009, We Will Speak Right

Have a blessed week and new month ahead.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Loving God with all your heart is the best thing you can do in life. Im learning more and more everyday to always walk in Him...

jhazmyn said...

These days...i feel so overwhelmed wen i read about God cos, He's been showing me so many things about Himself , it just amazes me and leaves me speechless. How then can i love Him any less...Indeed, we will love Him with all our heart cos that's the only way that makes sense.

Even wen it doesn't seem like things are the way they should be..we should love Him with all our hearts

Giagerry said...

Loving God is the way of keeping all other commandments===Lord help me!!

Hey Rita!!!

Beulah! said...

Its a wonderful feeling to love & be loved in return. That is the way i feel with God. I love him so & i know his love for me is unconditional

Nice one Rita!

Jennifer A. said...

Wow. This post really got me. Life is much more than the money or gifts. Our hearts and total devotion is what God wants.

Afrobabe said...

How have you been sweetie??

Myne said...

Thanks for sharing this. You know that song, Jesus loves me this I know. And some other songs too, I totally love Him too.

Have a great week.

David C Brown said...

Thank you for this - always a challenge. In Mark 14 the woman - Mary, I suppose, broke the alabaster flask; we need to broken ourselves so that all the love flows out to God.

Thank you for your blogging, and for keeping me in spiritual exercise. And thank you for your encouraging comments on my blog.

Grace be with you all.

Tinu said...

A big Amen to that!!!

Scarlet said...

Thanks for the post. I've hopped over to women of the bible blog, thanks for sharing this too.

Enkay said...

Just 3 days ago, I was all alone at home and somehow I just started singing, before I knew it, it turned into full blown worship.

I felt the love of God wash over me anew and it was so intense! I asked, "how could you love me this much?" and He said "Why would I not love you? I made you in my own image!"

Awesome!

The Activist said...

This is what I have missed from Rita, the inspiration!