If you love me (4th Day 85)

Last night on the History Channel there was a show about the ancient prophets of Israel and Judah. The prophets, to include Moses, Micah, Isaiah, Ezra, and others, all prophesized the destruction of Jerusalem and Israel because the Israelites failed to keep God’s commandments. (At least that was the common theme until I dozed off.) Every prophesy was fulfilled.

I thought about this and how it seemed unlike the God we Christians profess. It bothered me that God would punish those whom He loved, yet failed to keep His Commandments. Didn’t He realize humans were imperfect and could never keep His Law? Christianity teaches us that we are redeemed through the Blood of Christ and that there is nothing we can do to earn our salvation. We are saved by Grace alone through Faith alone in Christ alone. Period. (Or at least that’s God’s promise to us.)

I thought about why God would give us such Commandments and make keeping them a condition of his favor. I thought more about the Commandments themselves. Each Commandment describes what we should do to have a right relationship with others and with God. The Commandments, if kept, are an assurance of an enhanced life, an abundant life. For in keeping God’s Commandments, we find fulfillment, peace, happiness, gladness, satisfaction.

Then I thought about something Jesus said. He said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” (John 14:15) In Exodus and Deuteronomy, God associated keeping His commandments with loving Him. “…those who love me and keep my commandments.” (Deuteronomy 5:10)

What God is telling us is that by keeping His commandments, we are showing that we love Him. Does that mean if we fail to keep all of them, God thinks we don’t love Him? Certainly not! God sees into our hearts and knows our weaknesses and frailties. It’s our trying that pleases God, because in trying we are showing what’s in our heart. It’s in not trying that we disrespect God.

And is keeping the Commandments only enough? No! We must love God first. When the rich young man confronted Jesus about how to get eternal life, Jesus told him to keep the commandments. "All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?" Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Jesus was telling the young man that he had to love God first; to love God before anything else.

So, why did Israel get into so much trouble because they failed to keep God’s commandments? First, they failed to follow good advice. But more importantly, they turned away from God; they stopped loving Him. God didn’t abandon them. They turned away from Him; they abandoned Him; they lost His Presence among them and His protection.

The good news is that God never stopped pursuing His people. And God will never stop pursuing us. As we move through this Advent season and anticipate Christmas, let’s think on how God has continued (and continues) to pursue us. Let’s return our Love to Him as a child to a Father.

God Bless you.

De Colores,
Bill