byLove has been with us since the beginning. As we grow and mature, we come to understand that love exists in various forms, including the divine love that God calls us to have for Him. When I was in third grade, hearing “I love you” from the opposite sex made me feel disgusted. I felt like anyone who loved the opposite sex, especially at that age, was just a pervert. However, growing up, I have come to realise that there are different kinds of love: Agape love, erotic love, conditional love and so on. So, I wasn’t entirely wrong after all. But what does it mean to love the Lord as a Christian? How do you show love to the Lord?
What does it mean to love the Lord?
Love is something that must be expressed. You do not love someone and express it in your imagination. It is the outward expression of one’s affection towards the other. I have seen many people sing the lyrics, “I love you, Lord, for Your mercies never fail me…” but do not actually love God. Loving God is not something you do with your mouth; it is something you do with your life. Saying you love the Lord does not necessarily mean you truly do, nor does performing actions that merely appear to be done out of love for Him. God looks at the heart (see 1 Samuel 16:7). To love the Lord means letting your actions, thoughts, and way of life be influenced by your affection for and attachment to God.
The topic of love is vast. We see God’s love displayed from the book of Genesis to the book of Revelation. What constitutes love on God’s side? First of all, He created us in His own image because He loves Himself. He did so only after creating everything we depend on for our survival. When man went about sinning to the extent that it repented God that He created them (see Genesis 6:6), did God not provide an avenue for man to return to Him? From Abraham to Moses, to Isaiah, to Jonah, and to Jesus Christ being sent to lay down His life for the atonement of our sins. That is what God’s love means. Now, what shows our love for God? I have narrowed it down to four ways.
First of all, ascertaining what God wants (His will) and doing it. Secondly, communicating with Him as a lover, every day. Third, singing praises and worshipping His holy name. Fourth, longing to be with Him forever. It is no different from loving your fellow human. You always want to see them happy, you never want to offend them, and you always want to be in their life. The surprising thing is that some of these people we “love” as humans do not even love us the same way, but we still show them love.
God gives to you not because you love Him but because He loves you. However, if you love Him, you receive heavenly spiritual gifts that the mere man does not receive.
How do you show love to the Lord?
We show Love to God from the secret place of the heart first, and then we express it outwardly through our actions. Before you give to God through the church or a random person on the street, you must inquire if it is his will at that particular time. You must seek His guidance before giving, ensuring your actions align with His will. Before you give advice to a friend who is desperately in need of one, we ask God, “what is it that You want to tell this young woman who is suffering from a heart break?” or “what do You want this young man, who has lost his job, to know today?” That is one of the ways you can show love to the Lord.
Again, you can show love to God by communicating with Him on a daily basis. How can you claim to love someone but not hear from them for days and be okay and remain in love with them? It is not possible. The other person will feel you have little or no love for them. For this reason, you have to communicate with God, primarily through prayer and His Word.
Third, singing praises and worshipping His holy name. Would it not be nice if you did something for someone and they showed gratitude to you? Or if someone you love says sweet words to you always? One of the ways we show gratitude to God is through praises, and we say sweet things to Him through worship. Fourth, we can show Him love by always being with Him. You never want to depart from your wife or husband when you fall in love at first. What if that feeling never ended? What if you continued loving each other’s company? Apply that to God. Continually devoting time to Him and spending time with Him is a beautiful way of showing your love for God.
Why must you love the Lord?
It is only normal to love back someone who actively loves you. You must love God if you want to remain His lover. Also, if you want to remain a blessing to be able to give as God gives and receive what God gives, then you must continuously love Him. Do not get it twisted; God gives to you not because you love Him but because He loves you. However, if you love Him, you receive heavenly spiritual gifts that the mere man does not receive. A man may love all women as his sisters in Christ, but he would treat his wife differently from those other women when it comes to intimacy. It is the same thing with God. Those who are intimate with Him receive differently from those who barely know Him.
Loving the Lord goes beyond words; it is a commitment that is reflected in our daily lives. True love for God manifests through obedience, constant communication, worship, and an unwavering desire to be in His presence. Just as human relationships thrive on devotion and care, our relationship with God flourishes when we prioritise Him in all we do. The question remains—do you love the Lord? If so, let your actions and heart’s posture reflect that love daily.
