Let me ask you a question that I’ve been asking myself. Am I follower of Christ or am I lover of Christ? I mean it’s a great feeling to have the heaven ticket punched and eternity locked down. Why else would someone follow Christ? If we follow Him we “give” Him what He wants and we get what we want. Perfect. Now I’ll just go about my business calling on God when I don’t have any other options. Meanwhile, I’ll go to church, be in a small group and even invite a few co-workers to church. That sounds like a pretty good Christian to me. But what if we are called to so much more? What if following Christ isn’t enough? What if in our following we become so busy that we miss out on loving Him? Is loving Him optional while following Him? Look around at all other religions. Guess what, just followers. We must be different. We have to be different. The world isn’t looking for more followers. The world is looking for those whose hearts are ablaze with a love they have never known or seen. This is possible. This is what we are called to (John 13:35). If we have not love, we have nothing (1 Corinthians 13:2). Don’t you see? We have the answer. He is The One (1 Timothy 2:5). He is the Alpha and the Omega, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty (Revelation 1:8). Right now, He is holding all things together (Colossians 1:17). He is with you at school. He is with you at work. He is always with you (Joshua 1:9). And wherever He is, is an unfailing, unstoppable and unconditional love (1 John 4:8). Have you lost hope? He is with you and He loves you. You want nothing to do with Him. He is with you and He loves you. Are you broken hearted? He is with you and He loves us. No matter where you are or how you feel He is with you right now. How is that possible? It’s because He is The One. When you love a God who is the most powerful, happiest, merciful, loving, committed, helpful, honorable, faithful, patient and kind, your life is without limits.
We mustn’t just be followers. We must become lovers. You can follow without loving but you can’t truly follow without love. It is our love for the one true God that changes everything. It is this kind of love that should make us never follow Him again. It is this kind of love that should compel us to trade in following Him for loving Him.
It’s about pushing the limits of righteousness not out of pride or duty but out of love for The King. It’s about raising the standard. It’s one thing to have the will to fight temptation it’s a whole other thing to not even want what’s being offered. That kind of obedience and righteousness can only come from love. Followers follow and lovers love. Followers check boxes and follow rules. Lovers push everything out of the way for the one thing that matters, discovering the heart of God. The heart of God is the key to everything. May today be the day that you trade in following God for loving God. Never forget that God was the answer, God is the answer and God will be the answer. He is the One.
