A Fulfilled Life

If there is one thing I have learned over the past 30 years of my journey in Christ, it is that everyone needs love. God created us with an emptiness in our souls that can only be filled with His love. Everything else we stuff into that empty space leaves us dissatisfied.

We are in absolute need of God’s love, but the primary input we receive from this world distracts us from His love. We are influenced to satisfy our needs with the things money can buy, but God’s love is an entirely free gift to every one of us! We don’t have to work for it and we can never find it outside of His presence. This is why we are not called to seek love, but to seek God. When we find Him, we find love because the very character and essence of God is Love.

Receiving God’s love is essential, but there is something more. It is only in receiving and giving God’s love that we experience the abundant life Jesus came to give us.

[blockquote size=”half” align=”right” byline=”John 15:9-12″]

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” ~ Jesus

[/blockquote]The more deeply we realize that God loves us, and the more we surrender our hearts and will to receive and give His love, the more we will reflect the very image of God in this world. As we reflect His love and compassion to others, many will see and desire His salvation through Jesus.

As Christians we are called to continually let go of the selfish nature that craves the things that hinder God’s flow of love. Instead, we are to seek Christ in Scripture, surrender to His Lordship, then go and share what He has freely given us. The more we do this, the more we realize the unexplainable treasure God has prepared for those who love Him.

We are called to this way of being as a lifestyle. To live a life of love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us.

This is why we are given the two greatest commands: To love God with all we are, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Brothers and sisters in Christ, though I realize you know these things, I sense our Lord wants to remind us. The world offers us many tempting alternatives to Christ’s call, but let us persevere in our response to Him. There is no greater fulfillment; no more complete satisfaction.