Theme: THE LOVE OF GOD
Text: “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” – 1 John 5:3.
Comment: It is he who keeps God’s commandments that loves Him, hence the charge in the citation for today. Truly, the commandments of God are not grievous, that is, they are not hard or impossible to keep. Our Lord Jesus Christ stated: “If ye love me, keep my commandments…He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings…” (John 14:15, 23, 24) He also said: “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;” said our Saviour “but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21) That apart, we should not lean to our own understanding by refusing to obey the word of God through His servants. Those who do so expose themselves as not having the love of God in their hearts. When Micaiah told Ahab the truth the king was not ready to listen – and died as a result. Saul was told to destroy the Amalekites, both man and animals, but because of greed and self-will, he spared the king and the best of the cattle – and lost the favour of God. But Jehoshaphat obeyed the voice of God’s servants and prospered. (1 Samuel 15:1-29; 2 Chronicles 18:4-19) “Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.” – 2 Chronicles 20:20.