God must have the cream!
"You must love the Lord your God with all your heart,
all your soul, and all your strength." Deuteronomy 6:5
The nature of love consists in delighting in an object.
Love to God, is a holy fire kindled in the affections,
whereby a Christian is carried out strongly after God
as the supreme good.
The summary of our duty to God, is love. Love is the
soul of religion, and that which constitutes a genuine
Christian. Love is the queen of graces; it shines and
sparkles in God's eye!
Scripture knowledge always precedes love. The Spirit
shines upon the understanding, and reveals the beauties
of wisdom, holiness, and mercy in God. These are the
magnet to entice and draw out love to God. Those who
do no know God, cannot love Him.
If it is a sincere love, we love God "with all our heart."
God will have the whole heart. We must not divide our
love between Him, and sin. The true mother would not
have the child divided, nor will God have the heart
divided; it must be the whole heart.
We must love God for Himself, for His own intrinsic
excellencies. We must love Him for His loveliness.
"It is a harlot's love to love the portion, more than
the person." Hypocrites love God because He gives
them corn and wine. The sincere Christian loves
God for Himself; for those shining perfections
which are in Him.
We must love God "with all our strength", in the
Hebrew text, "with all our vehemency." We must
love God—as much as we are able. Christians should
be like seraphim, burning in holy love. We can never
love God as much as He deserves. Even the angels
in heaven cannot love God as much as He deserves.
Love to God must be active in its sphere. Love is an
industrious affection! It sets—the head studying for
God, the hands working, the feet running in the ways
of His commandments. It is called "the labor of love."
1 Thess 1:3. Mary Magdalene loved Christ—and poured
her ointments on Him. We think we never do enough,
for the person whom we love.
Love to God must be superlative. God is the essence
of beauty—a whole paradise of delight. He must have
a priority in our love. Our love to God must be above
all other things—as the oil swims above the water. We
must love God above estate and relations. We may
give the creature the milk of our love—but God
must have the cream! The spouse keeps the
juice of her pomegranates, for Christ. Song 8:2.
Our love to God must be constant. Love must be like
the motion of the pulse, which beats as long as there
is life. "Many waters cannot quench love." Song 8:7.
Thomas Watson (1620-1686)
7/5/09