What Does It Mean To Love God?
What MEANS should be used to excite our love to God?
(1) Labour to know God aright. “We cannot love that which we do not know.” God is the most comprehensive good; all excellencies which lie scattered in the creature, are united in Him; He is optimus maximus. Wisdom, beauty, riches, love, all concentrate in Him. How fair was that tulip which had the colors of all tulips in it! All perfections and sweetnesses are eminently in God. Did we know God more, and by the eye of faith see his orient beauty, our hearts would be fired with love to Him!
(2) Make the Scriptures familiar to you. Augustine says that before his conversion he took no pleasure in Scripture – but afterwards it was his chief delight. The book of God discovers God to us, in His holiness, wisdom, power, and truth; it represents Him as rich in mercy, and encircled with promises. Augustine calls the Scripture a golden epistle, or love – letter, sent from God to us. By reading this love – letter we become more enamoured with God; as by reading lascivious books, comedies, romances, etc., lust is excited.
(3) Meditate much upon God, and this will promote love to Him. “While I was musing, the fire burned.” Psalm 39:3. Meditation is as bellows to the affections. Meditate on God’s love in the gift of Christ. “God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son,” etc. John 3:16. That God should give Christ to us, and not to the angels that fell, that the Sun of Righteousness should shine in our horizon, that He is revealed to us, and not to others; what wonderful love is this! “Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?” Prov 6:28. Who can meditate on God’s love, who can tread on these hot coals, and his heart not burn in love? Beg a heart to love God. The affection of love is natural – but not the grace of love. Gal 5:22. This fire of love is kindled from heaven; beg that it may burn upon the altar of your heart. Surely the request is pleasing to God, and He will not deny such a prayer as “Lord, give me a heart to love you.”
– Thomas Watson (1620–1686) – an English, Nonconformist, Puritan preacher and author.
(conCLUDED, Soli Deo Gloria)