Editorial November 14, 2016 Issue

How do we love God?

Deborah Huebsch

Finding an answer to this question is central to our spiritual growth. Our Master, Christ Jesus, referred to the commandment, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind,” as the “first great commandment” (Matthew 22:37, 38). This isn’t just a nice statement to ponder or an idle request that we should love God when we get around to it. It means that the commandment should be central to how we live our lives. But how do we put it into practice?

It’s pretty easy to love the awesome beauties of the natural world. We find inspiration in seeing the ocean, joy in bird song, and feel wonder at the starry skies at night. But the creator of all good may seem distant or unknowable—so loving God may not seem so easy, at least it wasn’t for me.

Because it’s been my habit to ask God for help when I’m presented with a spiritual need, I started with a simple, heartfelt petition that went something like this: “Father, please show me how to love You.” There were variations on this theme, but I was persistent and consistent, praying it for weeks.

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Bible Lens—November 14–20, 2016