We know of God’s love and how we are to show that love to others, but is God’s love coming from our hearts?

“45The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” – Luke 6:45 (ESV)

What is in our hearts will show itself when we are pressed.

“43For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, 44for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush.” – Luke 6:43-44 (ESV)

We will produce what is at our heart. If evil, we produce evil, if good, we produce good. When we are filled with God’s love, we produce God’s love.

What is at my heart? That is the question I have to ask and you should also. There are days that I am fully worn out and I have to wonder, am I faking it, what is really at my core and in my heart? If I am living as an example of God’s love, shouldn’t it be easier, if it is indeed in my heart?

I have to think back to my study of God’s Word and remember that being a Christian is hard. We are persecuted each day, sometimes overtly, and others behind our backs. Our job is to continue to show the love of God at all times. The fruit at our hearts will manifest as God sees it.

When you are challenged, what is at your heart? Are you able to show the love of God? What is the fruit that you produce? Is God’s love stored in your heart?

I think that it is interesting watching, listening, and reading the news today. We are bombarded with many things that are considered important issues. Whether border security, taxes, cultural diversity, or charity, they all are billed as most important. The challenge is that they are “important” to only a select group. What is the most important?

“37And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38This is the great and first commandment. 39And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.’” – Matthew 22:37-40 (ESV)

Love of God and those around you is most important. In fact, faithful Jews repeat their love of God “twice daily” as stated in my commentary. And by doing so they were more easily able to keep the rest of the law.

We look often to things that are of “importance” to us, and I certainly do not want to claim I know what is of importance to you, but, shouldn’t we as children of God follow his direction as to what leads us? When we place priority in love, everything else falls into place where it belongs.

Where has your importance been placed? Your priority of behavior is based on what? What if you placed your priority as God commands in Loving Him and Loving your neighbor and then allowing everything else to fall in line next?

I have studied that God hates evil and loves good. Isn’t this contrary to the words of Jesus in Matthew to love your enemies? Follow along as I am working through this understanding.

“43You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” – Matthew 5:43-44 (ESV)

Now contrast that with Amos:

“15Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the Lord, the God of host, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.” – Amos 5:15 (ESV)

I admit that I am confused. Until, I read the commentary of my ESV Bible for the passage in Matthew; “God hates evil, but he still brings many blessings in this life even to his enemies”. God hates evil actions, not the evil people. Wow, was that an eye opener, and I see how we could believe the quote below being from God:

“Hate the sin, love the sinner” – Mahatma Gandhi

In my study, I find it hard to make this work. We have evil all around us and we are to love those who persecute us. We are to love the people that want to destroy us.

“45so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?” – Matthew 5:45-47 (ESV)

Even the worst of us are good to those who are good to us. I think of the movies where even the worst of criminals are loyal to those that treat them as they “feel they should be treated”. The key word there to me is “feel”. See the commentary from my NIV Bible: “We must trust the holy Spirit to help us show love to those for whom we may not feel love.”

So here is my amended phrase to help me understand: “Show Love for Your Enemies” as opposed to just “Love Your Enemies”.

Are we allowing our misunderstanding to get in the way of showing our love? We may not feel love, but shouldn’t we be showing God’s love to our persecutors? What actions can you take to better show God’s love?

We are constantly barraged with difficult situations. Whether a difficult person at the office, a need for something in our personal lives, the car breaking down, our children’s personal challenges, or anything that causes us to stumble as Christians.

When these difficulties arise, we are turning to God as we should, but how are we coming and what actions are we taking?

“6With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sing of my soul?” – Micah 6:6-7 (ESV)

The actions above appear to be those of someone trying to buy God’s favor. As stated in the commentary from my ESV Bible, they are using “sacrifice as an entry fee, rather than as an avenue for God to administer grace and forgiveness”.

How is it then we should act when facing difficulty?

“8He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humble with your God?” – Micah 6:8 (ESV)

God only requires that we act out love. When we are acting out love, we are acting as God acts. God only want the best for us and will allow us to be challenged to get the best out of us. We only need look to his example of how to work through the difficulty.

When facing the difficulty, how are you approaching God? Are you bartering with God to get some relief of the situation? How can you change your actions to live as an example of God love?

We cannot treat others terribly and claim God is with us. We are Christians and children of God all the time. We are to be above reproach. We are to act accordingly all the time and when we do, we will be rewarded.

Micah acted accordingly:

“8But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin.” – Micah 3:8 (ESV)

Micah’s reward for his righteousness was to bring the transgressions and sins to light. He was given power and the Lord was with him.What about the leaders of the Israel?

“9Hear this, you heads of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who detest justice and make crooked all that is straight, 10who build Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity. 11Its heads give judgement for a bribe; its priests teach for a price; its prophets practice divination for money; yet they lean on the Lord and say, ‘Is not the Lord in the midst of us? No disaster shall come upon us.’” – Micah 3:9-11 (ESV)

See how they toy with God’s love. They use God to “get ahead” and they act as though they are somehow more deeply connected to God. Don’t we see this today? Bribes (either of money or influence) are a way of life in the world and God’s messengers are not exempt. I know that I have seen the influence of money and power in those claiming to be of God (remember the televangelist scandals). Let’s look at their reward for their actions:

“12Therefore because of you Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins, and the mountain of the house a wooded height.” – Micah 3:12 (ESV)

We will all get out just rewards. When we toy with the love of God, we have to be prepared for the return on that investment.

Have you toyed with God’s love? What was your immediate reward? Did you, or have you considered your ultimate return on your actions?

We should take the same approach.

“14Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you, as you have said. 15Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the Lord, the God of host, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.” – Amos 5:14-15 (ESV)

God does it and clearly tells us to do the same in these verses. You will notice the words that are said, “seek good, and not evil”, “hate evil, and love good”. As children of God, why is it that we do not obey this simple commandment? It may seem that is what is happening in the world, with all of the social causes that take center stage, but I would argue that in the world today, there is a drive to “seek my agenda, and hate the people that think differently”.

Why is it so hard for the world to “seek good, and not evil”? Satan is influencing our thinking in the world. He is grabbing ahold of every morsel of evil and bringing it to the front of mind to wage war.

Where are your opportunities to seek good? When you look into situations, where are you hating the evil in them and loving (or looking for) the good in them? Are we acting as God to “hate evil, and love good”?

God loves each of us and that is the reason for our being punished for our transgressions.

“2The Lord has an indictment against Judah and will punish Jacob according to his ways; he will repay him according to his deeds…14Ephraim has given bitter provocation; so his lord will leave his bloodguilt on him and will repay him for his disgraceful deeds.” – Hosea 12:2 &14 (ESV)

When I read these verses on their own without context or study, I see words that say, “Well, you got yourself into this and therefore you are responsible to get yourself out.” God allowing us to suffer with what we brought upon ourselves.

Shouldn’t we be bitter at our God for his just letting us suffer? How can God allow his children to deal with the difficulty of overcoming such things? What kind Heavenly Father is He to not help us get out of it?

Our Heavenly Father, filled with love that we have difficulty understanding. We got ourselves into these things and God, in His love, allows us to get out of it.

Allows is the key I see here. God won’t bail us out of everything that we get ourselves into. He gives us the freedom to get into the situations and then provides us the love to get out of it.

“6So you, by the help of your God, return, hold fast to love and justice, and wait continually for your God.” – Hosea 12:6 (ESV)

“Love and justice”, see how they go together. God loves us more than we know and he allows us to get out of situations because he loves us and it is part of the justice we deserve. God wiped away the sins of our past when we accepted Him as our Lord and Savior (although we are still responsible for the consequences of our actions). And, he has wiped away the sins we will commit. But, just like being responsible for the consequences of our past actions, we are also responsible for our future actions as well.

We will receive our rewards and reprieve when we arrive in heaven, until then we are responsible to take care of business here on earth.

Will you accept the “justice” you deserve for your actions, knowing that God’s love is the fully involved in that justice? What consequences have you tried to offload on God? Has He placed them firmly back in your lap? Are you able to see the love in the justice God uses with you?

“8How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender. 9I will not execute my burning anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim; for I am God and not a man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath.” – Hosea 11:8-9 (ESV)

As I read these verses this morning, I was reminded of the human elements that God presents. It appears in these verses that he is wrestling with how to further deal with Ephraim (Judah). In earlier verses, and we know, Israel constantly was turning away from God. They worshipped Baals and idols. God had every right, as human, to walk away and choose a more loyal, appreciative, and righteous people. He defines his discipline and then gives his love.

I am continuously in awe of God’s love for me in all my sinfulness. I am reminded here that God has human elements to himself that allows him to identify with me. I have to remember that even though God identifies with me, God is not human in our likeness.

The commentary for verse 9 in my New International Version (NIV) Bible indicates that we have a tendency to think of God “just slightly larger than ourselves.” “In reality, God is infinitely greater than we are.” O how I get that mixed up. We are emotional beings in the likeness of God, not the other way around.

Remembering that I was created in the image of God, gives me new perspective as I think about God’s emotional love for us. I know that I am emotional with my love and as a human, it is difficult for me to control those emotions. Here in Hosea, I am reminded of the emotional love that God has, and how he is so different. God understands and controls his emotion whereas we are more reactive.

When things get tough do you act on your emotions? Are you able to sit back and think it out and act as God, or do those emotions of the situation take over? Are you remembering that you are made in the likeness of God, or are you trying to fit him into your likeness?

“4I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying ‘O Lord the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with who love him and keep his commandments,’” – Daniel 9:4 (ESV)

Daniel begins chapter 9 with remembrance of Jeremiah’s prophecy of the destruction of Judah. He has been counting the years and realizes that the destruction is close at hand and reaches out to God to make his case to be spared the desolation. As the verses progress, Daniel calls out his understanding that they have sinned against God. Then in verse 18 we see the plea from Daniel.

“18O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy.” – Daniel 9:18 (ESV)

Daniel does not ask for reprieve because they deserve it (even though they are God’s chosen people), but because of God’s great mercy.

When reading, I see that Daniel uses the word “we” when speaking to God. He was not excluding himself, if anything, he was owning the transgressions of the people and declaring his sins as well as theirs. Am I somehow above the sins of those around me? Am I “better” and deserve God’s reprieve?

God provides his love and mercy to us all. He gives and takes not because of who we are, but because of who he is. It is not about us, it is about him.

When we speak with God, are we asking for forgiveness because we feel that somehow we “deserve” it? Do we feel we are better and deserve more/better things? When you look closely at yourself, are you walking in the mercy of God?

It is interesting that we hear only parts and neglect to listen to the whole.

“10Thus says the Lord: In this place of which you say, ‘it is a waste without man or beast,’ in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man or inhabitant beast, there shall be heard again 11the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voices of those who sing, as they bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord: ‘Give thanks to the Lord of hosts, for the Lord is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!’ For I will restore the fortunes of the land as at first, says the Lord.” – Jeremiah 33:10-11 (ESV)

Here, Jeremiah is telling of the promised restoration of Judah. Doesn’t restoration come after or in an effort to overcome destruction or desolation? Imagine being in the days of Jeremiah and speaking of the destruction of Judah and then turning around to speak of the restoration and the greatness to come. The people were hearing the parts and may have missed the whole and therefore were not heading the warnings Jeremiah was bringing.

The thing I have to remember is from verse 11 above that God’s “steadfast love endures forever!” How often are we found in a situation where all seems to be lost? We are wondering where to go next? We must remember that God’s promises we can hang our hat on and know that we will be restored. This is the whole story.

I tend to focus in on the thing that is being spoken and neglect to put the whole thing together and for that I miss out. When I listen to what is being said, match it up against what I know, I am able to appreciate the whole and am able to move forward with confidence.

God has a great and wonderful plan for us, we have to take the time to listen, match it up, and appreciate the whole so that we can experience the greatness of God and his rewards for us.

Will you take the time to listen? Match up? Appreciate the whole? How much more consistent would our actions be when we are more deliberate in our movements after we understand the whole?