The difficulty of being a Christian does not lie with the demands to meet, or commands to be followed. But because we cannot, or shall i say, will not, fully surrender our all to God. Being humans, we know we need other people. And in our way of understanding life and people, we categorized them. We have people in our lives who serves as our Best and Well-trusted friends (people whom we can confide with, tell our deepest secrets and desires), Loyal friends (people whom we can turn to when we're in need or share laughters with, but not with pains and problems), Acquaintances (people we've just met, and are not comfortable to show who we really are), Family and Relatives (people who knows us to well and can predict our actions and words...people whom sometime we feel we can't trust). And how we categorize people, is the same way how we categorize our God. When it comes to spiritual matters, we turn to Him. When it comes to difficult problems to solve, we turn to Him. But when it comes to love, we do it on our own. When it comes to excelling in school or work, we do it on our own. When schedules started getting more hectic as each day passes by, its not the TV that goes out of the window, it's not texting,nor friendster, nor shopping...but God. When a relationship goes from bad to worse, we don't blame ourselves for disobeying God, but we blame Him for causing us to have such pain, then we would start to question if God has indeed loved us.
Deuteronomy 6:5 says "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." This passage is not a request or a suggestion, but a command. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus was asked by a Pharisee as to "which is the greatest commandment in the law". and Jesus quoted this passage in the book of Deuteronomy.
In this passage, there is no such thing as compartmentalizing things. It says that we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart. The heart here does not refer to the organ which pumps blood. Instead it refers to our emotions...when we're happily doing something, we are to love God. when we're down coz of problem or heartache, we are to love God. when we're filled with unending happiness, we are to love God. when we're falling in love with someone, we are to love God. when our business is growing and it seems that blessings are never-ending, we are to love God. In all of our emotional surges and downfall, we are to love God, for He is involve in every aspect of our lives.
Secondly, it says that we are to love the Lord our God with all our soul. This has to do with who we are. Do you enjoy fishing? Love God whenever you're in the lake. Do you enjoy surfing the net? Love God. Do you love to eat? What is your personality? Are you ill-tempered? Remember the loving God. Do you always fall into sin? Remember that our God is just. Do foul words often comes out of your mouth? Remember that God can hear you. Whoever we are, however we look at things in life, we are to love God, for He is involve in every aspect of our lives.
Thirdly, it says that we are to love the Lord our God with all our strength. When you love someone, it is but natural for us to give them our best. We study hard to show our parents our love for them. We work hard for our children to get the best education the world can ever give, to show our love for them. For those who knows how to cook, we'll cook the best, most aromatic, most delightful food we can come up with to show our love. In the same manner, we are to show our love to God with what we do. Whenever exams come, do we study hard so that we'll never cheat? In choosing the girl/boy of your dream, do you pray so that you'll never settle for less of what God commands? When you sing in a choir, do you give your best so that when people compliments us we can give all glory and honor to God who gave you that voice? When you read the Word of God, do you read it in passing or do you devote your whole attention and time in reading and understanding It? When you pray, do you fall asleep while praying? No matter how difficult or easy doing our best for the Lord is, we are to do it for our love for God, for He is involve in every aspect of our lives.
Our God is not a god who leaves His creatures behind and never cares for what they do with themselves. Instead, the God of Abraham, Jacob and Isaac, is the God who loves, disciplines, blesses, justifies and more.
When we're able to stop compartmentalizing our lives for God, then loving Him will start bringing relief instead of fear. When we start loving God with all our heart, soul and strength, then obeying Him will no longer be a struggle, but will be welcomed and embraced.
Shorter Catechism Question # 1 "What is the chief end of man?"
Shorter Catechism Answer # 1 "Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever."
Love God. Enjoy His company. Read His Word and meditate upon it. Talk to Him thru prayer and allow Him to talk to you thru His Word.
