a Reflection on "Service" (III)
--continuing
It is by Loving and being Loved that we enter union with God, and by entering this union with God we find our desire.
Love is the greatest commandment. I once thought that this is a new commandment that Jesus gave but I was wrong. The old testament has mentioned the same thing and Jesus,-- the Word of God Himself, the author of the Old testament-- reinforced what He has spoken.
4 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD;
5 and you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.
Deut 6:4-5
Does this sound like what Jesus said? And in another passage of the Old testament, it is written.
12 "And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
13 and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I command you this day for your good?
Deut 10:12-13
It is for our good (v13) that God gave His commandments. His commandments is to Love, to Love our God above all else.
It is interesting to note that Deut 10:12 is about the same as Deut 6:5.
love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.
Deut6:5
to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
Deut 10:12
The difference is that in Deut 10 adds the word "to serve" after the word "to love". We often have a wrong impression about service since our thought would always think about a duty, a thing we have to do, an obligation.
But here, to serve the Lord is only related by the word Love. Serving the Lord must be seen in the context of Love. Serving God must be based on one motive, that is Love.
I remember when I joined the ministry in my prayer meeting, there was a session given by my brother Riko and He asked what was our motive in serving the Lord. We all had our answers, and yet he said the only motive is Love. Out of Love do we serve God.
Next >>
---to be continued
It is by Loving and being Loved that we enter union with God, and by entering this union with God we find our desire.
Love is the greatest commandment. I once thought that this is a new commandment that Jesus gave but I was wrong. The old testament has mentioned the same thing and Jesus,-- the Word of God Himself, the author of the Old testament-- reinforced what He has spoken.
4 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD;
5 and you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.
Deut 6:4-5
Does this sound like what Jesus said? And in another passage of the Old testament, it is written.
12 "And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
13 and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I command you this day for your good?
Deut 10:12-13
It is for our good (v13) that God gave His commandments. His commandments is to Love, to Love our God above all else.
It is interesting to note that Deut 10:12 is about the same as Deut 6:5.
love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.
Deut6:5
to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
Deut 10:12
The difference is that in Deut 10 adds the word "to serve" after the word "to love". We often have a wrong impression about service since our thought would always think about a duty, a thing we have to do, an obligation.
But here, to serve the Lord is only related by the word Love. Serving the Lord must be seen in the context of Love. Serving God must be based on one motive, that is Love.
I remember when I joined the ministry in my prayer meeting, there was a session given by my brother Riko and He asked what was our motive in serving the Lord. We all had our answers, and yet he said the only motive is Love. Out of Love do we serve God.
Next >>
---to be continued
posted by Oka | 8:11 pm
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