Rabbi’s Reflections – Saturday, October 15, 2022
Shabbat Shalom,
Growing in Love for God 38
by David Harwood
Let’s continue exploring the synergy between our relationships and growing in our love for God. Let’s try to cover these three issues: Receiving Light. Walking in the Light. Sharing the Light we’ve received. Here is the foundational verse for this meditation:
But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another (1 John 1:7a TLV)
Our goal is to grow in our individual loves for God. We already love Him and want to love Him more. Also, we’ve been commanded to love Him.
Yeshua answered, “The first is, ‘Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai echad. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One. 30And you shall love Adonai your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. (Mark 12:29-30 TLV)
Wisdom wrestles with the reasons for His commands. “Why” is important. Here are a couple of verses from Colossians that address this:
For this reason also, ever since we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We keep asking God that you might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding— 10to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God. (Colossians 1:9–10 TLV)
Beloved of God, we are not simply called to know God’s will. Although blind obedience is laudable, God is after a relationship. Sometimes blind obedience is necessary to build that relationship. Yet, Paul prayed that they would be filled with the knowledge of what God wants within the context of knowing why He wants it. He prayed that the community of believers would know the Lord’s will in all wisdom and spiritually given understanding. This enhances the doing of the Messiah’s will. Knowing the whys of the commands motivates the disciple to walk in a way that increases God’s glory and please Him.
To comprehend the whys of something is to understand its causes, or reasons. We’re building our meditation on that foundation. Perhaps “wisdom” may be comprised of answering some whys. Why not call it whys-dom? Those with whys-dom may be considered wise.
Here is a “why” behind the Great Command.
We are creations whose love for our Creator is loved by our Creator.
God desires to experience our love for Him expressed as a community of believers, as His priesthood, His bride, His family. Loving God is the glue that holds us together as believing disciples. Being united in our love for Him is the life-giving focus of fellowship that empowers our love for God’s family. I believe this and am convinced that it is important: Fellowship with each other upon the basis of our illumination enhances our personal and corporate love.
Consider these verses:
Then those who revere Adonai spoke with each other, and Adonai took notice and heard, and a scroll of remembrance was written before Him, for those who revere Adonai, even those who esteem His Name.
17“So they shall be Mine,”—says Adonai-Tzva’ot—“in the day I make My own special possession. So I will spare them, as one spares his son serving him. (Malachi 3:16–17 TLV)
They spoke to one another upon the basis of the revelation they received. God noticed and heaven took note. In fact, heavenly scribes wrote it down in God’s presence.
This is similar to what happened to Mordecai.
That night sleep deserted the king, so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, be brought in and read before the king. 2It was found recorded there that Mordecai had revealed that Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the door, had conspired to kill King Ahasuerus.
3The king asked, “What honor or recognition has been shown to Mordecai for this?” (Esther 6:1–3a TLV)
Once again, take a look at this amazing verse: “but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him (1 Corinthians 8:3).”
There will be many who are told, “I never knew you; depart from Me. (Matthew 7:23)” Has that verse ever troubled you? You’re not alone. However, those who love Him are known by Him. Beloved ones, our love for God is a stewardship. Let’s guard it and seek its increase. Let’s invest the light we’ve received in one another and watch our love grow.
Revisit our elementary prayer. Ask:
God, please show me something You love about Yourself that would resonate with my heart.
Record what He shows you. Share it with a friend.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Sat 15-Oct-2022 20th o f Tishrei, 5783 Sukkot VI
Ex 34:4-26 Nu 29:17-22 Ez 38:18-39:16 Ecc 1-12 Ro 8:18-25