You have most likely heard or even said the common phrase, “looking for love in all the wrong places.” In today’s blog I would like to tweak that phrase slightly and explore the fact that we can also be guilty of looking for love for all the wrong reasons!

I am on a journey that is taking me through the study of the book of St. John. Recently I preached a message where the scripture text was taken from the second chapter of St. John that tells of the first miracle Jesus performed. After this first miracle crowds began to follow Jesus wherever He and the disciples went. In fact, there were times that Jesus wanted to get away (even from the disciples) just for some peace and to commune with the Father. But the crowds were in hot pursuit of Him. Although many were in awe of the miracles He performed, of course there were just as many skeptics, and those who eventually hated Him enough to want to take His life. I want to focus on those who made it their mission to follow Him everywhere He went. Sadly enough, His mission was quite different than theirs. Jesus performed these miracles because He came to offer them salvation (eternal life), healing, deliverance; and He performed those miracles because He loved them. He healed them, He fed them, He taught them, all because of love. He was the fleshly embodiment of the greatest gift . . . LOVE!

Many who witnessed the miracles began to attest to the fact that He was the promised Prophet, the Messiah. Yet, what they professed with their mouths was not evidenced by the actions! In the 6th chapter of St. John Jesus speaks to them from what He has perceived. He knows that they are now “hungry” to see miracles but are not willing to become “believers” that will trust and believe in the One who has been sent. They were looking for someone who “could do” for them. They were in pursuit of a person, a king, who would supply their needs at their command.

Unfortunately, we can easily be found seeking Jesus with the same motives. It is important that we examine those motives. Do we go to church out of obligation, or because we long to be in His presence? Do we give of our material resources and finances because we honestly want to advance the Kingdom of God and do our part in what is necessary to reach a dying world that does not know Christ? Is our worship pure, flowing from a heart that loves Him more than anything or anyone, or are we just singing songs or dancing before Him because of the melody or the rhythm? Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ loves each one of us unconditionally. When we do not love ourselves, His love never waivers. He may not “love” our every action, but He proves time and time again that He loves us beyond our words and deeds. It would be impossible for us to ever match His love for us, however we can make every effort to love Him despite our current situation that may not be perfect. Let us not mimic the actions of the Jews in that day who were obsessed with seeing signs and miracles but neglected to fully believe, trust and fall in love with the One who was responsible for everything they longed for and would ever desire.

I hope you will join me next as I will delve deeper into this subject of LOVE and talk about our reasons for “loving” one another.

Source: First Lady Denise