Love is Contagious

This months guest post is from a friend whom I greatly respect . He has a unique and deep intimate view of God and expresses that in his life daily. ~Rebecca Darga

I recently attended a wedding of a close family friend. The whole day went without a hitch- beautiful music, a great sermon, beautiful decorations and great food- but there was one thing that stood out to me more than all of this. This new bride and groom were head over heals in love. They have no experience whatsoever when it comes to being married, yet they’ve chosen each other for a lifetime. I found myself reminiscing about my wedding and glancing over at my wife with pure joy and thankfulness to the Lord. Witnessing people in love is contagious.

Our spiritual life is not so different.

When someone is in love with God, you can see it; the joy is written all over their face.

Over the years if we’re not careful, it can feel that our walk with the Lord becomes stagnant. Prayer becomes pointless. Reading the Bible is a chore. Going to church becomes the place to see friends and to hear a helpful sermon. “Isn’t there more than this? Where is the excitement and passion I once had?” you might ask yourself. The good news is you’re not alone, and there is a solution.

In Revelation, Jesus has some instruction to one of the churches: I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance.

I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

Revelation 2:2-5  

Let us take this passage as a warning and take heed from these sobering words:

It’s not enough to do good and work hard.

It’s not enough to have sound doctrine. It’s not enough to persevere and endure hardships.

It’s not enough to hate wickedness.

It’s not enough to know truth.

We must come back to our first love: Jesus.

How do we do that? People say, “love is the matter of the heart.” Ironically Jesus is just as much, if not more, than concerned about our heart’s condition:

The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.

1 Samuel 16:7

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

Proverbs 4:23  

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

Luke 6:45

So, how is your heart doing today? How has your heart been doing recently?

Do you feel like life has become stagnant, pointless, or a list of performing chores for God? Could it be that your heart has become exhausted, bitter, distracted, or infatuated with a temporary world instead of God’s purposes? Can you still remember the hope, love, and joy He once brought into to your life? Can you still see Him that way today?

Maybe you’re doing it right! That’s great! Keep your mind sober and your eyes fixed on Jesus.

Maybe you’re feeling far off from the Lord. Give Him your heart: the good, the bad, and the ugly. He loves you and is eagerly waiting for you. Today, there is an opportunity to repent and come back to Jesus, whatever the case may be. And know that when He comes, it changes everything. In a moment, He can provide all that you could ever need or hope for.

This is between you and the Holy Spirit. What is He speaking to you today? What is He telling you to do? How does He want you to respond? If you’re not sure, think back to the first time you had an encounter with the love of God. What were you thinking? What were you feeling? How did you respond in that moment? We love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). Our love should be an overflow of God’s love for us. There is no need to strive in His presence. Let everything you do be a response to God’s love, not a way in which to receive His love and salvation.

Fight for His presence. Forsake everything else at the cost of knowing Him. Don’t get tired and don’t give up. We must determine in our hearts and with our actions that God is the one who matters most.

My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ (Colossians 2:2)

For the One who is worthy,

James Loruss  

James Loruss is an author, filmmaker and composer at Supernatural Truth Productions. Together with his wife, Connie, James ministers globally and locally to train believers, raise up leaders, and reach the lost with the Gospel. James serves as the Worship Pastor at Northville Christian Assembly of God in Northville, Michigan. He and Connie live in Novi, Michigan.