Loving God

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
Romans 8:28

When we understand the keys of the kingdom, we must know that one of those keys is love. Everything about God is about love for God is love. If we are to boldly apply the kingdom of heaven to our lives, we must access it with the key of love. This is a multifaceted proposition. The scripture above tells us that God loves, cares, and works for us who love him. So as we seek the kingdom, we must love God and we must love others.
    We don't talk about loving God enough. We often talk about our need to love our spiritual family, our neighbors and even our enemies, but we pass over our need to love God. I think we do this because it is assumed that we do love him. But if people are honest with themselves, some would find that they don't really love God. This is not an indictment against anyone, the reason we may not love him is because we don't even understand how to do it. We often relate God to our own earthly parents, especially our fathers. If we had a good relationship with a loving father, it may be easier to relate to and love our Heavenly Father. But if we had  poor relationships with our earthly fathers, we may not understand how to love God. The greatest way we can love him is to obey what he tells us to do. This means that one who is in a growing relationship with him and moving forward in his Christian walk is one who loves God.
    Loving God may result in emotional experiences, but our love for him is not defined by these. It is defined by what we do in response to his commands and will. I often picture my relationship with the Father through things that the Bible tells me about him. I know that he is my Strong Tower. He is my Hiding Place. I find shelter in the shadow of his wings. These are things that I can relate to, and they define for me who God really is. I find that intimate place of fellowship and love with him through these things. What defines your love relationship with God? Think about it and check your own relationship with him.
    Loving people is critical. Jesus taught us that we cannot discriminate against anyone regarding love. All people are worthy of our love and we are to give it to them. This is manifested by helping them, praying for them, discipling them, and reaching out to them. The kingdom is meant not only for us but for them as well. When we pray, "Let your kingdom come," we are praying this not only for ourselves but for others. The power of that prayer is built on our love for God and others. Take the key of love and add it to your spiritual key ring. It will open up whole new areas of the kingdom of heaven.