By Steven J. Hogan
~ A Satuday Morning Post #320 ~
About 50 years ago I met an older and godly man named Abe. He was my Sunday School teacher in a small Baptist church in a small NE Iowa town. Never have I met anyone so filled love with love for God, who just beamed with joy, and who spoke so excitedly about being in heaven with Jesus. His example has truly encouraged and motivated me through the years.
There is a clear connection between loving Jesus Christ now and loving Him in the future. As a Christian, you should be looking forward to seeing Jesus in person, and loving the One who loves you far more than anyone else. If you don’t have a close relationship with Jesus, if you are not actively loving Him now, then you are probably not excited about seeing Him and being with Him in heaven.
So how is your relationship with Jesus? Is He #1 in your life? Is He your best friend? Are you getting good alone-time with Him? Are you telling Him how much you love Him? Do you praise Him and sing to Him with all your heart? Are you like Mary, “seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word?” Remember, “only one thing is necessary” (Lk. 10:39, 42), and that’s being with Jesus, and loving Him and learning from Him.
If Jesus is first in your life, then you will know His love for you; you will be filled with joy; you will be at peace; you will be perfectly satisfied; you will be loving others; you will be helping Jesus make disciples “to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:19-20); and you will be wanting Him and waiting for Him to take you to Himself and home to heaven.
If you don’t have a strong love for Jesus, if you aren’t doing what He wants you to do, if you aren’t excited that He’s coming again to be with you, then consider these questions:
* Are there sins that have captured your heart, that have taken hold in your life, sins you need to confess to God and Christ? Ps. 32:1-5, 1 John 1:5-9
* Are you fleshly, are you loving the things of the world? 1 Cor. 3:1-4, 1 Jn. 2:15-17
* Are you remembering what Christ did for you at His 1st coming? Do you know what He did for you on the cross, that He died to pay for all your sins? Are you regularly taking communion? Do you realize how much God has forgiven you? Do you think often about Christ’s love for you? Ps. 86:12-13; 1 Cor. 11:23-26; 1 Jn. 4:10,19
* Do you understand the truths about God redeeming you, justifying you, forgiving you, reconciling you, adopting you, and sealing you with the Spirit? Eph. 1:3-14
* Are you in a solid church, in a good, Christ-is-coming, Bible-preaching church? 2 Tim. 4:1-2 – “In view of His appearing and His kingdom… preach the word.” 1-2 Thess.
* Are you having good fellowship with other Christians? Heb. 10:24-25
* Do you have good Christian friends that you are accountable to and that are an encouragement to you? Prov. 18:24b, Rom. 16:3-16, Col. 4:7-15
* Do you know what Christ will do for you at His 2nd coming? Are you filled with hope? Do you understand the glorious future God has planned out for you? Do you realize that “to live is Christ” but “to die is gain,” that being with Jesus in heaven is better than being with Jesus on earth? Rom. 8:18-25, Rom. 15:13
* Do you realize how much Jesus wants to be with you, how much He wants to show you His love in the future and for all eternity? Jesus told you, “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also” (Jn. 14:3). Jesus prayed, “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world” (Jn. 17:24). Jesus “died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.” 1 Thess. 5:11
The most important thing in life is knowing God’s love and loving Him! That’s it! And Jesus does not hesitate to correct Christians – “I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” (Rev. 2:4). O, may this not be true of you! “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” Mk. 12:30, 1 Cor. 16:22
Looking forward to loving Jesus in the future is an important sign that you love Him in the present. So are you wholeheartedly loving Jesus now and excited about loving Him in the future? If you are not sure, then go over the questions I listed, and get some answers; ask God to search you, cleanse you, and instruct you (Ps. 139:23-24); and He will surely revive you. “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore, be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.” Rev. 3:19-20
Finally, remember what Job said, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see Him with my own eyes – I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me” (Job 19:25-27). And say, “Come, Lord Jesus.” Rev. 22:20
P.S. During this Christmas season are we emphasizing the importance of our relationship with Jesus? As you know, this is what is most important. Here are three posts that speak of your love for Jesus and your relationship with Him: “The Rapture, a Love Story”, “Loving the Lord and Longing to See Him”, “Loving God Today, Tomorrow, and Forever.”