Frigid, single digit temperatures have been in our seven day forecast here and there lately, and right in the same week it is not unusual to see sixty and seventy degree weather. Southern Februarys are notorious for this. I’m sure you folks can relate, southerners or not.
The inconsistency of Fickle February isn’t what we think about the most this month though; we’re more focused on love with Valentine’s Day on the horizon.
Both the erratic weather and Valentine’s Day have set my mind thinking about and evaluating the love that I have for the Lord. Is it warm? Cold? Lukewarm (see Rev. 3:16)? Inconsistent and all three?
Consider Romans 8:28 - “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God.” Our minds tend to stop with the word “good” in this verse, and not notice that it applies only to those that love God. Are we one of “them”?
Jesus gives us three simple words that will help us evaluate how we’re doing with loving Him in John 14:15 when He says “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” In John 14, Jesus tell us three times that love is equivalent to obedience.
Jesus not only gives us those three words, but He instructs us to love God in three ways: with all our heart (our emotions), and with all our soul (the center of our personality), and with all our mind (our thoughts) ( see Matt 22:37). A similar verse is in Deut. 6:5 – “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might (all that is in us).
In John 21, Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him three times. How would you and I respond to our Savior’s question?
