As we celebrate Mother’s Day, here is a reflection that we should also meditate on as we consider God to be our parent:

IN WORD It is the greatest commandment: Love the Lord with everything you’ve got (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37). It may take us a lifetime to figure out exactly what loving Him should look like, but it doesn’t take us long to realize one sad truth: We don’t love Him that way very often. Have you ever tried to determine what the backbone of your faith is? Is it doctrine? If so, you’ve probably found that, though necessary and important, doctrine runs dry pretty quickly, even for those who decide to spend their lives in theological scholarship. Is it emotion? You’ll find that a faith that not only includes emotions, but is based on them, will be an up-and-down experience. Is it understanding? No, we all need it, but we’ll never have enough.
So what is our faith about? It’s about love. God makes that clear. Scripture tells us to study doctrine, express emotions, and seek understanding, but it never tells us to make those things our foundation. A consuming love for God, though, is foundational. If we don’t have that, we don’t have much of a relationship with Him. Not a meaningful one, anyway.
IN DEED An old song tells us “What the world needs now is love, sweet love.” It’s exactly right, although not in the context that the songwriter probably intended. What the world really needs now is a generation of believers who are deeply, madly in love with their Savior—and who live like it. That is what the church, in its simplest definition, is supposed to be—a people in love with Jesus. That includes understanding His revelation, experiencing His grace, and studying His truth; and those endeavors are surely necessary. But without a love for Him, those endeavors are, well, boring. Or irrelevant. They carry no weight in God’s presence, and they have no impact on our world. Do you really want to commune with the heart of God? Then love Him. “Love Him totally who gave Himself totally for your love.” – Clare of Assisi (in “Worship the King” by Chris Tiegreen)

Although God is typically personified as our heavenly Father, the Bible also describes God with the nature of a mother too, for both male and female are created in God’s image. Take time this week to meditate on Psalm 131 and ask yourself whether your devotion to the Lord reflects this psalm. Consider one or two steps you can take in the days ahead, with the Holy Spirit’s help, to deepen the intimacy of your love with the Lord. Have a blessed week! – from Singapore, Pastor Sam