Skip to main content

What It Really Means to Love God: Walking in Obedience and Love

 

Family communicating warmly around a table during the holiday


What It Really Means to Love God

"And this is love: that we walk in obedience to God’s commands. As you have heard from the beginning, God’s command is that you walk in love." – 2 John 1:6 (KSB)

   Clear communication is essential, especially during the holiday season. To experience a peaceful and meaningful Christmas, it is important not to hold thoughts or emotions inside. Instead, openness and clarity should shape our interactions with family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, classmates, and our wider community.

   First, put God first. Prioritizing our connection with God helps align our thoughts, words, and actions with divine love and obedience. When our hearts are centered on God, our communication naturally becomes more sincere, compassionate, and grounded.

   Second, keep God’s commands. This means reflecting on the moral and spiritual guidance God gives us. His greatest command is love, love for Him and love for one another. When we intentionally follow His word, our relationships become healthier, more honest, and more life-giving.

   Third, walk in love by expressing openly and honestly. Walking in love requires consistent, heartfelt communication. Whether it’s a phone call, face-to-face conversation, text message, email, handwritten letter, card, or social media message, every channel is an opportunity to bring clarity, warmth, and understanding.

   Embracing these steps helps create the open and loving communication needed to enjoy the Christmas season fully and deeply. Love does not assume that others simply “know” how we feel. It speaks. It shares. It clarifies. Through clear and compassionate communication, we nurture the relationships and peace we long for at this special time of year.

   To love God, as 2 John 1:6 teaches, is to obey Him. And to obey Him is to walk in love intentionally, openly, and consistently.

   Love God (2 John 1:6)

   1. Put God first

   2. Keep God’s commands

   3. Walk in love

📖 Reflection: In what ways can you communicate more clearly and lovingly with the people around you this week?

💡 Action Step: Choose one person and reach out with a thoughtful message, intentional conversation, or heartfelt expression of appreciation.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Refocus Your Faith: How to Overcome Distraction, Disappointment, and Discouragement

  Refocus Your Faith: How to Overcome Distraction, Disappointment, and Discouragement "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."   Galatians 5:6 (KSB)    With everything going on around us, it's easy to feel lost. Distractions come quickly, disappointments pile up, and discouragement sneaks in. We all face these moments. But even when we get off track, there is a way back and that path is through our faith, principles, and core values.  When you live your life anchored in principles, it gives you a compass for when the road gets unclear. Knowing your vision, your mission, and your core values makes it easier to realign when life feels out of control. But if you don’t know who you are, how can you get back to being your best self? If you don’t know what you stand on, what can you stand up on after a fall?    Clarity of purpose keeps you ...

Universe Means One Thing: Love

  Universe Means One Thing: Love "For all the law is fulfilled in this one word, love: Love your neighbor as yourself."   Galatians 5:14 (KSB)    Sometimes, the word “universe” can feel mysterious even spooky to some. Others think it's irreverent or sacrilegious when used in spiritual conversations. But what if we redefined it? What if “universe” simply meant love? What if it meant God, since God is love?  When we say, “the universe,” we can think of it as pointing to one word love. Just one word. The entire Bible, composed of 66 books and written by over 40 different authors, ultimately speaks to one central theme: love. From beginning to end, this divine book points us toward loving God, loving ourselves, and loving others.  In the Old Testament, God's people had 636 laws civil, ceremonial, and moral. They guided everything from relationships to religious festivals. But then Jesus came and said, “Let me make this simple Love God. Love yourself. L...
  Why Me? God’s Glory (Romans 8:18) Why? That's a question often in our Souls. Why is this happening to me? Why am I having this experience? Why am I facing this health challenge? There's an answer! Why am I having these relationship challenges? There’s an answer, and it’s the same one. Why am I having this financial challenge? There’s an answer! There’s an answer to every question in your Soul, and the answer is glory. The reason for every experience in your life is so that God can get the glory. The purpose of all our challenges is not to bring us down but to transform us and bring glory to God. Why am I having this test, this trial, this tribulation? So God can get the glory. Why am I experiencing this persecution, this headache, this pain? So, God can get the glory. Why am I witnessing this miracle, sign, or wonder? So, God can get the glory. Why am I having this challenge in my local assembly, in my ministry, in my business, and in my organization? So God can get the...