Meditation 4: Does it Make Sense to Love God?

Loving God: 

Why and how should I love God?

AKPAN, Anthony M., OP

(e-mail: rexama4@gmail.com; Tel: +234 81 2533 1847; +234 70 6398 6770)

I intend to question myself and examine whether it is reasonable to love God. I am just thinking about it. Does it make sense to love God? And in my thinking, it appears that we love someone with whom we can reciprocate acts of love. Can I reciprocate the love of God? It seems that it is difficult if not impossible to reciprocate God’s love. God seems to be too big for me to be able to satisfy. Hmm…. But, I have a very simple insight here: to love God is to obey him (John 14:15). Wow! But that is not all. Something in me tells me “Hey, nice try. But that is not all.” What more?

The question then comes: why should I love God, that is, why should I obey God? Then I consider that a land owner, who is an architect built a large estate on his land and decides to rent out the flats in the estate to interested persons of the public. Note that the land is his. Because the land is his, he understands the terrain, he paid the workers to work on the plan of the estate which he drew all by himself. If anyone knows the much needed information to keep the estate growing, it is this land owner. Now, consider that many interested members of the public eventually get some space on this estate. Would it be reasonable for them to follow the plan of the land owner in the overall running of the estate? It seems obvious that the sensible thing to do is to follow the plan of the land owner since he best understands how the estate is.

In the same way, I did not make myself. I did not make this world. It is God who made it (Genesis 1 & 2; John 1:3). If God made it, then he alone has the best understanding of how it should operate. If he has the best understanding of how it should operate, then it is only sensible that I should follow his plan for how best I should live my life and how I am to take care of the other things around me in this world of his. So, I consider that I should love God, because as God, he made all things and understands all things. And because he understands all things, having made them by himself, he alone can order all things to their best end, hence it is said that “the heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament proclaims the work of his hands” (Psalm 19:1) and again, “For I know what plans I have for you…plans for peace and not for disaster, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).

To therefore answer the question: “why should I love God?” “Why should I obey God?” I simply reason that I should love God because he made me and made all things. Because he is maker of all things, God is preeminent above all things. Because he is preeminent above all things, I owe him obedience. My obedience to him is my love for him. So, as creator, I owe him my obedience, my love. But, would he lose anything if I refuse to obey him? Definitely not! He is all sufficient and can do without me. But I reason that I cannot do without him, since all I have is given by him (1 Corinthians 4:7). So, if I refuse to obey him, I lose. Because he knows all things, if I refuse to follow his direction, I would fail. And hey! I do not want to fail. So, I follow him. I obey him. I love him.

Besides, I should love God because he cares for me. He demonstrated the height of this care when he sent his Son, the only begotten to die for me (John 3:16). So, I love God because he made an irreparable sacrifice for me. He sacrificed for me even while I was still a sinner (Romans 5:8). As our redeemer and savior too, we owe God our obedience, our love. Moreover, he is our friend; he is personally interested in being always with us, hence Jesus says: “I call you friends” (John 15:15) and again “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20). Anyone who truly loves someone wants to be always in their company. However, does God love me when calamities befall me? How do I evaluate the care of God in the event of the death of a loved one or the loss of my job? Where is God when I am seriously in need? I reason that God is there with me wanting to share in my pain. Presence is the mark of true love. If you really love someone you would relate with what I am saying here. Just being there means a lot when we talk about love and so, I reason that God as a true friend, just wants to be there, even in difficult times.

Three major reasons why I should love God therefore stand out: because he created me, because he redeemed me and because, as a personal being, he is interested in a friendly relationship with me.

Then, how am I supposed to love God? How is my love for God supposed to manifest in my life?  If I love God, I am to keep the Lord ever at my sight (Psalm 16:8). To keep the Lord ever at my sight is to pray constantly. To pray constantly is to kneel before God always so that I can stand firmly before human beings. It is to submit to his will always. Recall the passion of Jesus at Gethsemane, and indeed, the whole of his life: Jesus prayed. He submitted before God (Matthew 26:39) and so, he could stand the cruelty of human beings. And God, having raised him up, glorified him (Philippians 2:6-11). To keep the Lord ever at my sight is to meditate and reflect on the word of God frequently. Reading and meditating on the word of God is like reading and savoring the content of a text message or letter from a loved one.

Keeping the Lord ever at my sight is seeing the presence of God everywhere and making the presence of God felt everywhere I am, especially to those around me. It is to recognize the dignity of the other person and fight to emphasize their humanity as much as mine. Martin Luther King Jr, for example fought for the recognition of the humanity and dignity of the African-Americans. This recognition of the humanity of the other is a tribute to God the giver of life. Today many of us see people’s salaries being syphoned and people’s wages being stolen by their payers and still keep quiet. Some of us do it ourselves. Some of us treat our house collaborators (maids etc.) as mere rags. We disappoint our employers and employees as it pleases us. To consciously treat another person with disdain is to close our eyes to their humanity and to neglect their humanity is to disobey God – to not love God.   

If I love God, I ought to consciously submit to his will. Many times, God’s will is communicated through spiritual direction from human beings anointed by God to communicate his word to people. I do know however, that many have been led astray by dubious directions given to them by some men and women of God. So, how do I know which person is really a mouthpiece of God? Sometimes such dubious ministers prey on our poor or inadequate orientation toward the divine. One of such orientation is the orientation that God is merely a provider – someone we simply go to in times of need. This should not be. Yes, God provides for me. But above all God wants me to be his friend. He wants me to be around him always. To have him always before me; to feel his presence everywhere – yes, even in difficult times. He wants to be there with me, to shoulder my cross daily with me (Luke 9:23). It is reasonable to prefer the presence of the one who provides abundantly to the abundance he provides.

If I truly love God, I ought to treat my spouse and my children as best as I would sincerely treat myself. Sometimes this may require that you put up with some difficulties and intolerant behaviors.  But in all these, it is and it should be the love of God that impels me (2 Corinthians 5:14). Some children can be very difficult. Patience and prayer are two great missiles for combating such. The case of the great Augustine of Hippo and his mother Monica is a story many of us are familiar with. Monica cried and prayed. She admonished and bore with Augustine. Finally, her perseverance won Augustine over from his unprofitable living. Today, Augustine is the model of many – a teacher of right conduct.

If I truly love God, I ought to follow the instructions of my parents. Obviously this excludes instructions that run contrary to God’s commandments. But parents ordinarily command obedience for what is right and godly. If my parents let me survive those delicate months I was in the womb without killing me; if they groomed me as a toddler up until whoever I am today, then they love me and I ought to respect them. And in respecting them, I am obeying God’s command. In doing so, I show that I love God.

In sum, I note that it is reasonable for me to love God because he made me, redeemed me and because he wants a personal relationship with me. And the way to show this love is to submit to his will – to obey him, in spite of challenges here and there. I hope you also find reason to love God too with the insights I have shared with you.