A lot of believers can get uncomfortable when they see the word “lover” in relation to God, and I’ve been there myself. I’ve been growing in understanding just what it means to say we’re lovers of God.
The world has absolutely ruined the connotation of this word. It has nothing to do with how one views a physical love relationship as the world sees it. It’s not one of those Jesus-boyfriend phrases that people often see it as.
Being a lover of God relates to us as believers growing to delight in Him and His will, seeking to live for Him in all aspects of our lives.
On the opposite side, Jesus being called the Lover of our soul is true! He died for us so that we could live. Of course He loves our soul! (John 3:16-17) That’s not a Jesus-boyfriend connotation, that’s part of the Gospel and the relationship Jesus gave His life for us to have with God.
I’m not going to go much deeper with this, but to share what being a lover of God means in my own heart:
Being a lover of God means loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. It means that we love what He stands for, and that we love His Word and truth. It means we love His will and seek to do it. It is living the teachings of Jesus and trusting in Him for salvation. It is seeking His Kingdom and righteousness first with all our beings.
“If anyone desires to be first, he must be last of all, and servant of all.”
(Mark 9:35 Amplified)
Servant of All by Misty Edwards
I wanna be Your lover, so show me how to go lower [that is, be humble]
For in the depths I will find You where You’re serving my brother.
I wanna be with You where You are, I wanna be with You where You are
I wanna be with You where You are, You’re the servant of all.
I’m in love with a King who became a slave,
I’m in love with a God who is humble.
You gotta go down if you wanna go up,
And you’ve gotta go lower if you wanna go higher and higher,
Well you’ve gotta hide and do it in secret if you wanna be seen by God.
Cause it’s the inside outside upside down kingdom
Where you lose to gain and you die to live.
[emphasis mine]
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(Chris J. also shared a blog post today on loving God: Every Fiber of Your Being.)
Filed under: Christian, Devotional, Faith, God's Word, Heart's Cry, Worship , bible, Christ, Christian, christian living, first, first commandment, God, God chaser, God's Kingdom, god's will, God's Word, gospel, Holy Spirit, jesus, Jesus Christ, last, living, lover of God, Lover of my soul, misty edwards, second commandment, seek first, seeking first, Sermon on the mount, servant, Servant of all, serving, serving God, Worship, worship music
[...] was blessed, humbled and loved on by God as part of this post was read to our congregation, and that God would use it in our very church, without us even knowing [...]