Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” Matthew 22:37

 Have you ever been in a position that the expectation was for you to love a certain person in your life? Maybe it was a step-parent, a pre-arranged relationship, your pastor, even God Himself. Love develops over time, it truly is not instantaneous, despite what some might think. The first stage of loving someone is getting to know them, not just their name and surface level information, it goes much deeper, like what are their likes, dislikes, what moves them to do something, and how committed are they to their obligations? In this search for understanding, you get a better picture of their moral fabric and through this process you begin to connect with them.

 Jesus said one of the most important things a person can do is to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind. I used to think this was a tall order given God isn’t’ here, in the physical sense, to ask questions and see His responses. Over time, as my relationship with Him grew, I began to see His hand working in my life and the lives of others, witnessed His continual commitment to help His children in times of crises, and by reading His word (bible) I began to see the character of God lived out through His Son Jesus Christ. All of these things, and more, have helped paint a true picture of who God is and what He desires for me.

 Maybe you struggle with loving God on the level He expects. That’s ok, it takes time to learn God and see the results of His workings in your life. I know it sounds like a broken record, but reading the bible truly brings everything into perspective about the moral fiber of God. Have you made time to actually read and study God’s word? If not, I encourage you to pick it up and read small portions daily. As you do so, your desire will be to read the next page and pretty soon you’ve read through an entire book.

 Just like any relationship, love grows over time when you invest yourself in getting to know them better. Loving God to the level He desires will take some time, but with a willing heart, you too will find the beauty of God’s love for you, which will spur you to know Him more through prayer, reading, and seeing Him in action. God bless!