911 God

Maybe you have said it. I have too and we are not alone. Many others have said it. "Of course, I love God." If someone asked you today if you loved God or not, you would probably say: "For sure, I love God. What kind of a person do you think I am?!!"

Many people are afraid to say they really don't love God, in case He retaliates by being unresponsive to them in a crisis. So making yourself believe you 'love God' offers you some reassurance that God will hear you when you call. But let's be honest, is that really 'love'?

Think of it this way: if you paid as much attention over the last year to your girlfriend or your boyfriend, or your partner or your spouse or your child, as you have paid to God during the same time period, what would they conclude about how much you love them?

For the most part, people only think about God or try to communicate with God when they can't work things out themselves and when they are afraid. Afraid they won't get the promotion or the new job; afraid that they will get caught after messing up badly; afraid the growing lump may be cancer; afraid that the child's high fever is only going to get worse; afraid a loved one will not come out of a coma; afraid that their son will get caught with drugs; afraid their child may not be born healthy; afraid that the judge will give them a stiff penalty; and the list goes on.

God for the most part is a swear word and used lightly or mockingly every day. People, without thinking, post OMG. People punctuate their sentences with one of God's names. If the weather is bad they say: "We're having some God-awful weather." Rarely do they ever use their neighbor's name when they want to swear in an outburst of anger. They use God's name.

The sad reality is - often God can be totally ignored; ignored until a crisis happens. Then suddenly, we pick up the phone and call the 911 God and expect Him to come to our rescue. Is that loving God or is that using God?

How would you define your relationship with God up until now?

God is not obliged to respond to our calls and cries for special consideration. But so often the goodness of God is shown when we least deserve it. Did you know that when God shows His goodness through acts of grace, He actually wants to lead you to repentance and to faith in His Son Jesus? (Romans 2:4, The Bible)

Regardless of how a person has used God or regarded God, God has made the first move to demonstrate His own amazing love for them - whether they ever reciprocate by loving Him in return or not. Read the Gospel of John, chapter 3 and verse 16 for a very concise statement on God's love for me and you. Read the Gospel of John chapters 18 & 19 for a detailed account of the death Christ was willing to die for our sins - even when we were still sinners and enemies towards Him in our hearts.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us,in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8

There are many questions about our love for Him and how sincere we are. But one look at the suffering and innocent Christ on the Cross, enduring the horrible penalty our sins deserved forever, should be all we need to convince us of His love for us.

If you have quietly admitted in your heart that you have, in fact, been guilty of ignoring God or using God, would you like to rethink your relationship with Him? Would you like to turn to God just now and bow your heart before Him and admit the guilt of your sins and trust Christ as your personal Saviour? There is an abundant life and eternal life available to you through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Why not respond to God's love today by loving Him in return?