PODCAST
Loving Freely
August 23rd, 2013
Hosea 14:1-9
What does it mean to love someone freely? Does it mean they deserve it? No. It is unconditional. Parents love their children freely and as a parent loves us, so does God. We have not done anything to deserve that free love from God. He gave it to us through His Son.
We use the word “love” very often. I “love” chocolate cake or I “love” that car. But what does it mean to really “love” God? As believers, we are called to love God by obeying His Word, spending time in prayer and in the study of His Word, and being a witness for Him.
When we look at Hosea 14:24 and reflect on it, I can see God’s benevolence toward us. He cares about us, He’s there for us, He’s waiting with open arms, and He does not hold our stubbornness or hard-heartedness against us.
Deuteronomy 6:5 says: “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” God wants us to love Him with our whole being. It means everything we have, all that we are.
Author: Yonette R. Moorgan
August 23rd, 2013 at 8:52 am
“We use the word “love” very often.”
We confuse the word “lust” (crave) with love. The Bible gives us the definition of love with each other in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7; however, to love God is to “crave” His righteousness (which is displayed in the ways listed: ” obeying His Word, spending time in prayer and in the study of His Word, and being a witness for Him.”)
God being “love” probably “craves” our relationship and isn’t so much a keeper of our wrongs as much as a keeper of our “rights.”