The Primacy of Loving God: The Missing Ingredient in Discipleship
Next, we can teach believers those activities that amplify one’s love for God and one’s desire to just be with God. Specifically, believers can be advised to:
Spend time with God, just to be with Him—not to ask for or obtain anything. Spend quiet time just soaking in His presence. Ask Him to come and fellowship. He’s not shy.
Read the Scriptures in a conversational way—perhaps asking the Lord, “what does this passage mean?”, or “why did You do such and such in this circumstance?” Then listen. He talks to His children.
Ask Him what to do at the church attended or how to show forth His love in the neighborhood. Then look for His leading.
Anything that leads a believer to love and seek God, with the primary goal of experiencing more of Him and nothing else, enhances a believer’s communion with the Father. This will facilitate the believer’s lifelong discipleship journey of loving God with all of one’s heart, soul, mind, and strength.
It is a journey of unfathomable beauty, joy, and victory.
You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16:11
PR
Notes
All Scriptures are from the NKJV.
1 See also Matthew 22:37 and Luke 10:27.
2 On Loving God, Chapter 1.
3 On Cleaving to God, http://www.ccel.org/ccel/albert/cleaving.html. Accessed 11/9/2005.
4 The Flowing Light of the Godhead.
5 Quoted in 2000 Years of Prayer, pg. 163.
6 The Imitation of Christ, Hendrickson Publishers, 2004. pgs. 41-42.
7 Introduction to the Devout Life, Doubleday, 1989, pg. 40.
8 The Root of the Righteous, pg. 56.
9 Born After Midnight, pg. 8.
10 The Root of the Righteous, pg. 142.
11 The Counselor, pg. 82.
12 Man: The Dwelling Place of God, pg 58.
13 The Pursuit of God, pg 11.
Category: Living the Faith, Winter 2010
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