not just believe in God or fear God, but love Him and set our heart on Him!

This morning I really enjoyed the verse in 1 Cor. 2:9 which says,

But as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard and which have not come up in man’s heart; things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

What a wonderful verse! Here it doesn’t say that all these things are prepared for those who fear God, or worship God, or believe in God, but for those who love God! And so here’s a footnote on this verse from the Recovery Version that I enjoyed – classic footnote, so rich:

To realize and participate in the deep and hidden things God has ordained and prepared for us requires us not only to believe in Him but also to love Him. To fear God, to worship God, and to believe in God (that is, to receive God) are all inadequate; to love Him is the indispensable requirement. To love God means to set our entire being — spirit, soul, and body, with the heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30) — absolutely on Him, that is, to let our entire being be occupied by Him and lost in Him, so that He becomes everything to us and we are one with Him practically in our daily life. In this way we have the closest and most intimate fellowship with God, and we are able to enter into His heart and apprehend all its secrets (Psa. 73:25; 25:14). Thus, we not only realize but also experience, enjoy, and fully participate in these deep and hidden things of God.

Today, may we give ourselves to the Lord not just to know Him, believe in Him, and not even just to worship Him – we need to love Him! To really get into the heart of God and know His deep and hidden things, we need to be those who love Him!

And as we see above, to love Him is to set our entire being on Him and be occupied by Him! Tell Him, Lord Jesus, I love You! I want to love You more! Draw me with Your love, Lord! Constrain me with Your love!