Love Is Obedient


I've got love on my mind. There is nothing particularly wrong. It's this feeling I feel inside. When I woke up early this morning, it was staring me straight in my eyes.

For those of us raised in the seventies and on Motown, you know this is from the popular song, "I Got Love On My Mind." Natalie Cole was singing of a lover or significant other. For me, as I have been studying this month, I've got the love of God on my mind! Every morning when I wake up with another life pass, love stares me straight in the eyes! It fills me with purpose, assurance and clarity of vision. I can't explain it, but I know that I have experienced the love of God.

Though I have experienced his great love and rich mercy, I find that sometimes, more often than I choose to discuss, my love gets off. Ugh! I find myself being selective and shallow in my love, only loving those I like and it is not until God gets my attention that I realize that somewhere, somehow, my love has gotten off.

I am sharing this with you today because I know that I am not alone. I know that life takes a toll on us all and clouding our vision. Nevertheless, I know that we can love like God! The Holy Spirit has been shed abroad in our hearts giving us the ability to love like God. The only thing now to do is to be sensitive to His leading and learn to walk in His love.

For some, this may be a great task, but I am here to tell you that it is not as hard as you think. First of all, in order to please God, we must obey because He has commanded us to love. So, out of obedience, we must purpose in our hearts to love like He loves. Then, practically speaking, begin doing nice things for people you don't like. When you do this you will find that you like them less and will be walking out God's love. So, you see, it's really not that hard. It is a matter of whether you are willing to be willing and obedient to God.

We all have to make a choice to obey God. Obedience is often challenging because it is putting the flesh on the cross. It is a day to day mortification of what "I" want to get what He wants. It is a day to day declaration of "yet not I." It is a day to day decision of "not my will, but Thy will be done." Because of His great love wherewith He has loved us with, obedience sets its face like flint to say, "I love you Lord, therefore I will obey."

Jesus said this to His disciples in John 14:23-24 (AMP), "Jesus answered, If a person [really] loves Me, he will keep My word [obey My teaching]; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home (abode, special dwelling place) with him. Anyone who does not [really] love Me does not observe and obey My teaching. And the teaching which you hear and heed is not Mine, but [comes] from the Father Who sent Me." It is clear from this verse that love obeys.

Obedience is the highest form of love because it is a public conveyance of a private conviction. Therefore, I pray that as you read and meditate on this devotion, that you too would purpose to show God just how much you love Him by simply doing what He says.  Don't just say that you love God. Display your love for Him by being obedient.

Love, peace and blessings,

Dr. Sheila

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