Really Loving God
2nd Samuel 11
King David was blessed by God in many ways. He praised the Lord in his prayers. But David was not always walking his talk. His actions didn’t always match his words. We think of one troubling time for David when he was overcome by sin and committed more sin to cover up deceit. The story of King David and Bathsheba is known by so many. I too find myself praising God and sometimes not acting in the most Christian of ways. I may not be staring at a scantily clad woman next door, and seducing her like King David did, but I sin nonetheless.
Often, in my public prayers, I thank God for loving us and giving us everything we need. We don’t deserve His love, but I plead for his help in our lives so we can at least act like we deserve a little of what he provides. I think it is extremely important that we not just say we love God, but to actually show it to Him in our words and actions. There have been too many times in my life when I’ve kneeled down to say my bedtime prayers with my bride, confessed my love to God, then felt guilty because I know I had not walked my talk that day. I felt bad because I knew I had not shown God my love that day with my words and actions.
Like any life, the Christian life has its ups and downs. Our spirituality ebbs and flows like the waves of an ocean. Sometimes, I wouldn’t mind exchanging those ebbs and flows for a nice still stream. I’d at least have more consistency that way, albeit, without the wonderful highs. The longer I live, the more I learn. I praise God for the past week when my Christian life has been at higher highs and the lows seem to have been more like mediums. Lots of time in prayer has helped me this week. I distinctly remember the feeling of peace I had during one of our nightly prayers after I told God how much I loved him. I arose from the floor feeling refreshed; I think it was due to the extreme amount of honesty I had brought before the Lord. I had said I loved Him, and this evening, I knew my actions during the day matched my prayer. There’s just something to be said when our words match our actions. I constantly recommend authenticity when it comes to human relationships, but a little authenticity with God is a good thing too.
In Christ y’all,
Brian
Below are some interesting books on being authentic. If you’re a reader, check them out if you have time.
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| This book by Gold Medallion award-winning author Lee Strobel helps you discover how to grow in virtue, relate to others with authenticity, and make a real difference in the midst of a culture that’s unraveling at the seams. | Discover the joys of authentic Christianity. God wants you to enjoy close relationships with other believers and with Himself Relationships that are honest and open, where you can share your successes and failures and remain confident of being loved. Deep rich relationships based on an authentic Christian life. |
