Loving God

[sh284]

I actually have two questions. My first question is what does it mean to love God with all your heart. My other question is how can you love someone with all of your heart that you can't be absolutely sure exists. My hunch is that there is a God and Christ is his son, but I can't be sure.

 

[talitha]

You have asked some good questions.

I think that loving God with all my heart means joyfully allowing him access to all of me, body, soul, and spirit, and all of my time, possessions, abilities, finances, and anything else I might have, and desiring to give myself to Him.

I know how it feels to not be sure God exists. I went through a period of my life like that. Somehow, though, I must have believed, because my heart cried out for the ability to believe, and I now understand that I was crying out to God. I think there is something in the core of all of us that believes, no matter how much we might want to have proof or think it's lame to believe without it.

just my thoughts......
blessings
tal

 

[drich0150]

I actually have two questions. My first question is what does it mean to love God with all your heart. My other question is how can you love someone with all of your heart that you can't be absolutely sure exists. My hunch is that there is a God and Christ is his son, but I can't be sure.

It is a love that consumes all of your desire.

You can't love someone if you do not know he exists. So ask for confirmation.

That said do not think God a fool and that He will do parlor tricks for your affections. Ask God first to prepare you for the revelation you need that will change your heart, and then hold on to something. Because for most of us (Depending on the hardness of your heart) it could be a bumpy ride.

 

[LWB]

Interesting questions.

If you have faith in Jesus Christ, you act on his teachings even if you have doubt. Doubt is good, because it means your faith is alive and kicking. Simply worry about acting on faith.

To love God with all your being, simply obey the teachings of Jesus. It is a bit hard to hug an invisible presence, but we can hug are care for visible people who are made in his image. Loving other people is the same thing as loving God.

 

[razeontherock]

Mr OP, you sure have gotten some GREAT answers already! I'll add a bit that seems to be missing, tackling your questions in reverse order:

reading the Bible as a child, it was quite apparent to me I had NO idea what Jesus meant by "believe." Obviously, whatever it might be, it would change everything. I prayed for it, whatever it was that Jesus meant. I won't go into detail here, but I got it! Took many years but even so ... here's a good example for you:

"Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." (Mark 9:24)

Don't you feel comfortable praying something like that? Read the story; the person doing so was greatly Blessed.

Loving G-d with all your heart can be as simple as controlling your own thoughts and desires so nothing else is as important to you as He is. (No I'm not saying that's all it may EVER be, but it is a start, and something G-d honors!)

May He cause His face to shine upon you ...

 

[Emmy]

Dear sh284. Jesus told us in Matthew: "the first and great Commandment is: love thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is: love thy neighbour as thyself." God wants our love. Jesus also told us: " if you love me you will follow my Commandments." By following Jesus/God`s Commandments to love our neighbour, and to treat our neighbour with kindness, friendly smiles and encouraging words, also a helping hand where necessary, we show God that we love Him, by following His Commandments. God can see our hearts, He knows our thoughts and wishes, and to love is what God wants from us. Love without wanting anything back, love selflessly and no conditions asked. God will approve and give us His Blessings. We also tell God in our prayers how much we love Him and adore Him. With words and deeds we show God our love for Him. I say this with love, sh284, and send greetings. Emmy, sister in Christ.

 

[sh284]

I appreciate everyone's input. You've all been very helpful. What does it mean to follow his commandments? Is it the ten commandments or is it the 613 Torah commandments?

 

[Bear.Fr00t]

Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”
Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:25-40)

 

[razeontherock]

What does it mean to follow his commandments? Is it the ten commandments or is it the 613 Torah commandments?

I would say, neither! Just like the first witnesses of Jesus' resurrection were sort of rebuked, being asked "why did they seek the living among the dead," we are not instructed to follow dead letters in a book. It is the Spirit that gives Life, and we are to be in constant contact with the very same Spirit that rose Jesus from the dead!

There's you're "following His commandments," and it's the greatest challenge in this life - and the most rewarding. I don't believe He'll be leading us to go breaking the 613 written commandments, but following them isn't the goal, either. Instead, He has a way of showing us how we accomplish the original objective, which the Law itself only foreshadowed.

Some do place the 10 commandments in a different class and it's really hard to refute that argument, but this is entirely different from your real question here:

Romans 7:6 "But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not [in] the oldness of the letter."

 

[ForceofTime]

I would say, neither! Just like the first witnesses of Jesus' resurrection were sort of rebuked, being asked "why did they seek the living among the dead," we are not instructed to follow dead letters in a book. It is the Spirit that gives Life, and we are to be in constant contact with the very same Spirit that rose Jesus from the dead!

Wow, nice! I don't think I've seen it so well put in CF!

 

[ForceofTime]

I actually have two questions. My first question is what does it mean to love God with all your heart. My other question is how can you love someone with all of your heart that you can't be absolutely sure exists. My hunch is that there is a God and Christ is his son, but I can't be sure.

All I can add to the already good answers is to "deny oneself".

 

[elman]

I appreciate everyone's input. You've all been very helpful. What does it mean to follow his commandments? Is it the ten commandments or is it the 613 Torah commandments?

See Emmy's post number seven. Note Matt 25:31 and following. The command that sums up all other commands is the one to love God and love man and to love man is to love God. Also we do not know for sure God exists this side of the grave. We assume it and believe it and act on it in hope of eternal life. That is faith.