Love-Deuteronomy 6:4-6

[Elder-Shawn Denise Briscoe]

Love is a beautiful emotion. Unfortunately; people have diluted this word to mean almost nothing. But love is the most powerful, positive emotion we can have. Humans need to be loved and it must be unconditional. The reason I believe that we throw the word love around so carelessly is because we don’t know the meaning of the word or we confuse it with the definition of like. They are two separate meanings and the LORD GOD never commanded anyone to like anyone. The LORD GOD has commanded HIS people to love. It is virtually impossible for HIS people to love if they themselves don’t understand the fullness of love. So before I write about what the LORD GOD has commanded; allow me to share with you the definition between like and love.

 

Like – kind or friendly feeling.

Love – tender; passionate; personal attachment; deep affection; intense; benevolent; reverent; without compensation.

 

Now that I have shown you the difference between like and love we should consider the commandment that the LORD GOD has given to HIS children. In the verse of scripture that has been chosen for today it begins with “Hear, O Israel”; this is because GOD manifested HIMSELF to the Israelites alone and anyone that joined the Israeli’s became a part of GOD’s blessings because they were choosing to serve the Israeli GOD. Now that this same Israeli GOD belongs not only to the Jews but to the Gentiles as well (thank YOU FATHER!) we should read this verse like this. “Hear, MY children or hear ME __________ (place your name in the blank). I prefer placing my name in the blank. The LORD our or my GOD is one; 1John 5:7. HE alone should be our GOD and none other. HE is alive; HE hears; HE sees; HE feels; HE knows all; HE speaks; HE provides and so much more.

• We are to love our GOD with all our heart. Love HIM sincerely; not in word only but spiritually and physically.
• We are to love our GOD strongly. HE loves us with all that HE is and we should love HIM in the same manner.
• We are to love our GOD as no other. We must not put anyone above our GOD this includes parents; spouses; leisure; work; school; friends; habits; anything created by the CREATOR GOD or anything made by humans.
• We are to love our GOD intelligently. Its okay if you don’t know all there is to know about GOD but what you do know of HIM; this should cause you to love HIM. However, anyone that you love; you have a desire to know all there is to know of that person. The LORD GOD is a person; HE is not a place or a thing; HE is not the man upstairs or the big guy or a higher power. We have a cause to love GOD; understand who GOD is by reading the Bible and searching HIM out; get to know HIS character; HIS voice; HIS touch; HIS presence; HIS promises.
• We must love GOD entirely and when we learn to love our GOD then we can love humans because we have no choice just like we have no choice in thinking. It’s not possible for a person not to have a thought.