Monday, October 20, 2008

In Love with God

Faith moment given at Messiah Lutheran Church Oct 19, 2008


 

In love with God

I am going to speak from the heart. I want to talk about Love. So I want to talk about the first time I fell in Love. Let's go back to late summer 1982. Star Trek Wrath of Kahn was released, and for the ladies…An Officer and a Gentleman, Music, Journey's Open Arms was big hit, one of my favorites Shadows of the Night by Pat Benatar, or how about Workin for the Weekend, or Shakin by Eddie Money.

Nancy and I had been dating on and off for about a year at that point. One night she was dropping me off at my house when as I was getting out of the car, she said; "I Love You"

My response; "I Know"

I got out of the car and went in the house. Well even back then it took a smack over the head for me to realize a good thing.

A few days later though, I had the massive realization that I LOVED HER TOO!

I also realized that I would do things for her that I had never done for anybody else in my life. Like wear the pink IZOD polo shirt she bought for me, or paint the kitchen in our house in Tucson, Dusty Rose because after all, that was the color of the flowers at our wedding. But that's what you do when you're in love right?

You do things you wouldn't have done for just anyone.

And when the girls came into our lives it was the same way. Volunteer to haul cases of girl scout cookies around, or spend hours making sure the science fair presentation was done, or willing to give an organ just so your child doesn't need to suffer through shots and blood tests multiple times a day. But these are things that we do because we love our children.

But let's consider for a moment the greatest love of all.

God's Love

Just consider all God has done in the name of Love for us.

The heavens and earth, the fish in the lakes, (so Dave can catch them with one of those rappala's in his tackle box), the birds, the trees, summer & winter, and more winter, and more winter…did I mention winter? Roofs over our heads, food in our mouths, children singing at the Christmas program, rain, the warm summer breeze during outdoor worship service (ok the breeze at outdoor worship service, not so warm)

One thing I have learned though about love is that when you're in love you give freely with no expectations of receiving. You see, when you love like Nancy loved me it wasn't about my response, it was how she felt, and nothing was going to change that for her (Thanks God). She knew deep in her heart that I would come around to her way of thinking with a little time. In the mean time, she continued to give.

So whether you realize it or not God continues to give his love to us freely. Want Proof? Right there on the wall is the proof. He so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son and whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

He gave his son because he loves us.

And all he asked in return was to believe in him.

He says to us daily "I Love You"

How do you answer him?

"I Know"?

Or do you answer him

"I Love You Too"

Do you answer him?

Now I know your response to the next thing I say will be "Wrong Religion" and your right, "it's not act's that will get you to heaven", but, its acts that are done to show our love for God. Acts like giving of our time to help with worship, or KFC, giving of our talents to help paint, or sing, or help in the nursery, and yes even giving of our money to support the various ministries here and throughout our community and the world, like the building fund, like echo food shelf, like Kid's Against Hunger.

So are you "In Him"?

Are you in love with God like he is in love with you?

I am

I am in love with God.

I am "In Him"

I wasn't always though.

I said to him a lot more times than I did to Nancy, "I Know"

So how did I fall in love with God?

Well he came to me two years ago and said "I Love You", and for the first time I said "I Love You Too"

But that just wasn't enough, I had to show him I love him, I need to prove my love, Not to you, not to the world but to HIM. I WANT to prove my love to him. I want to do things to please him and I know, I realize it doesn't help me get into heaven it doesn't give me eternal life because I sit in back and run the sound and the powerpoint slides. It doesn't get me into heaven because I come to work with the 7th grade confirmation class. It doesn't get me into heaven because I am in bible study…none of it get's me there and honestly I am not worthy to be there…the things I have done…the things I have said…there isn't enough deeds in this world to get me into heaven. I do these things BECAUSE I love him. Loving God makes you want to give…makes you want to do…to do anything you can…to show your love for him. To LOVE HIM…to be IN HIM.

Do you want to Love Him? Read this (the bible) and you will. You can't help but love him. Pray to him, thank him, and beg him to forgive you, listen to him, worship him, praise him, laugh at his jokes, yell at him when you feel he hasn't been fair with you, but always…always…remember to tell HIM you love him.

Pray with me,

Dear father, thanks for your sense of humor, thanks for your support, thanks for my wonderful family, thanks for my wonderful church family, thanks for bringing me back to you and willing to accept me even after all of the times I rejected your love, thanks for the wonderful things you have brought into my life with you, I ask only one thing, continue to love us and know that we love you.

Amen

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