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What Does The Love Of God Mean To You?

      When it gets to this period of every year, many come out to declare it as the Season of Love. A time when people show their loved ones how much they love them. Many equally say it is a time to remind the world about loving one another. This mantra has equally passed on to many Church programs about this time. Many organise programs for the Singles and Married on the efficacies of love. It seems many in the world and some of the Churches agree on what the 'season' is. 
      Amusingly yearly, the Churches that believe this is the 'season of love' come up with many justifications to run the programs earmarked for the purpose. Interestingly, one of their justification is "God is Love"! Now, if they believe "God is Love" (which is true by the way, 1John 4:8), why is He celebrated and magnified on a particular day of a particular month? Is He not still Love on the rest of the days and months? When you need to justify your actions, then something is not very right: "And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God" (Luke 16:15). 
      Many argue that it doesn't matter what the origins of the season are as long as it glorifies God in the end! If this attitude is right with God, He would not have killed Nadab and Abihu for burning unauthorized fires before Him (Leviticus 10:1-2), after all, they wanted to worship the Lord! Or when Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit and died on the spot (Acts 5:1-10), after all, they still brought a part of the proceeds to the feet of the Apostles! These all have seemingly lawful justifications for the actions they took. But were they tenable before God? The Bible tells us: "All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the Lord evaluates the motives" (Proverbs 21:2). We have a way of justifying ourselves in our eyes, and we think that makes the action we had or are taking right! 
      Let us consider for a moment the argument that it is the 'season of love'. Why does the season elicit such hatred for the commands of God, and celebrate the desire to satisfy the flesh? You may argue that the same feeling runs through the year. You are right! But this elicits great economic value for the kingdom of darkness as it reaps both financially and destroys the destinies of many. In this season, the celebration of the flesh is paramount as the love that is peddled is reduced to the mere indulgence of the flesh! Beloved, this is NOT the Love God was talking about in 1John chapters 4 and 5. He is Love, and the summary of this is: "By this, we come to know (recognize and understand) that we love the children of God: when we love God and obey His commands (orders, charges)–[when we keep His ordinances and are mindful of His precepts and His teaching]. For the [true] love of God is this: that we do His commands [keep His ordinances and are mindful of His precepts and teaching]. And these orders of His are not irksome (burdensome, oppressive, or grievous)" (1John 5:2-3, AMPC). 
      Beloved, the Love of and for God leads us to live a life worthy of Him daily and not on some particular day! This love is not to just give us good lives on earth, but we are to exhibit His love to all that come our way daily to win them into the Kingdom of God! And the caveat to living and projecting this love is to obey His commands: "If you keep My commandments [if you continue to obey My instructions], you will abide in My love and live on in it, just as I have obeyed My Father's commandments and live on in His love" (John 15:10, AMPC). Beloved, to abide and live on the instructions of God daily is to shun everything and anything that has the hint of carnality in it, and fix our eyes on the goal of the upward call of God as Moses and many others did: "Because he preferred to share the oppression [suffer the hardships] and bear the shame of the people of God rather than to have the fleeting enjoyment of a sinful life. He considered the contempt and abuse and shame [borne for] the Christ (the Messiah Who was to come) to be greater wealth than all the treasures of Egypt, for he looked forward and away to the reward (recompense)" (Hebrews 11-25-26, AMPC). 
      Finally, the love of God is for us to know Him and daily walk in His Word by denying and rejecting self's cravings, indulgencies, carrying our cross which is a symbol of death, conforming our lives to His and following Him. We do not need a day or season to do this because we must do this DAILY! This so-called love being celebrated at this 'season' is a perverted one as it does not lead to the feet of the LORD nor does it glorify His name: "Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.” For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve" (Proverbs 24:12, NLT). Jesus Christ is coming back again, be ready and live a life worthy of Him, so you will not be ashamed at His appearance. God bless you, Beloved of God!

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