Do you love God like you love your family? How do you grow in your fondness for God?

[BenFTW]

I know this sounds blasphemous at the start, to consider how many people love their close ones more than they do God. You may say this is presumptive of me, as I do not know their hearts, but it is an intriguing question. I consider myself in respect to this question. Do I love God like I love my father, my mother, my brother, and my sister? There is a fondness I have in my heart for these people, I love them deeply. Do I have this same fondness for God? If not, how do I grow in it, develop it?

For some God is distant in their imagination. They don't have any real fellowship with God. They believe in His existence but not that He is with them. A tragedy in remembrance of the cross. How Christ died (and resurrected) that we may be reconciled to God. I do love God, and He knows this, but I think upon the fondness within family, the bond. The unity. The shared experience of life, and being. Can we not share this same level of "intimacy" with God?

I imagine it is through knowing His voice. Listening to His voice. Prayer, but more so, listening. Walking in His will, to be about the Father's business. To see the heart of God. Such revelations will grow one's fondness for God, to witness His love, his heart, his mercy and grace. We too partake in Communion in remembrance of Christ's work on our behalf. We behold the love of God, and are transformed. Its as if in a loving family it is a giving of another, and with God, it is a receiving that does yield giving. A cycle of reciprocity, giving and receiving.

Can you imagine the joy that is found within such a fondness, to share in that experience at a moment's notice? How beautiful it would be to experience the love of God, and likewise give love to God, as one does with those that are most beloved in our hearts. Closing your eyes entering His presence as like an embrace of those you cherish.

Do you love God like you love your family? Are you fond of the Lord?

 

[Locoponydirtman]

I think to answer that is simple in mechanics but complicated at heart. Technically it would be a matter of considering it this way; if your family member came to you and said either cut it out with the Jesus stuff or I am never going to speak to you again, what would you choose? With me I think that is easy, if you don't love me enough to at least tolerate my love for Christ you don't love me at all, so see ya in the funny papers.
At heart we want to reach out and love our family so we may let them derail us with their distracting us from worship or tempting us to wrong doing in what ever degree that manifests. Maybe they try to get you to lie for them or give to them what is meant for the Lord whether it's tythe money or other resources.
Would you disobey the Lord for them? I guess we have all failed in this area. I'm sure I have.

 

[BenFTW]

I think to answer that is simple in mechanics but complicated at heart. Technically it would be a matter of considering it this way; if your family member came to you and said either cut it out with the Jesus stuff or I am never going to speak to you again, what would you choose? With me I think that is easy, if you don't love me enough to at least tolerate my love for Christ you don't love me at all, so see ya in the funny papers.
At heart we want to reach out and love our family so we may let them derail us with their distracting us from worship or tempting us to wrong doing in what ever degree that manifests. Maybe they try to get you to lie for them or give to them what is meant for the Lord whether it's tythe money or other resources.
Would you disobey the Lord for them? I guess we have all failed in this area. I'm sure I have.

Its not so much about an either or mindset, but determining the level of fellowship you have with God. Is He real, in your experience? Does He actually partake in your life, guide your steps? Do you laugh, and cry at the things He does? Do you know His heart? Do you know God, and do you know His voice?

Can we experience God with fondness to the degree we do with family, and/or loved ones?

 

[pottersclay]

When we understand that all we have is given by God. Family, money, home, anything and everything by the grace of the Lord.

We deserve nothing in fact we are dead men walking but the Lord sees us differently and thank him for that.



As for the saints who are on the earth, “They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.”

The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; The world and all its fullness, You have founded them

 

[SweetStars]

I don't think loving your family is a bad thing but loving your family equally or more than God, may be not that good, in Mathew 10:37-39 says "37 “[a]He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.38 And he who does not take his [b]cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me] is not worthy of Me. 39 Whoever finds his life [in this world] will [eventually] lose it [through death], and whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake will find it [that is, life with Me for all eternity]. "

This does warn us of loving family More than God, but you expressed that you love your family the same as God. I think you can freely love your family is just that God needs to come first, God always needs to be first place in your heart.

For example i love my family and friends, but if they question God's word or try to change or modify my believes into their likings and ways, then there is a problem, because my love and loyalty for God goes beyond my love for them. Also is not wise, trusting or loving humans as God is unwise as humans will always let you down, hurt you, betray you, etc, that is why we are called to love others as ourselves and to love God with all of our heart, minds and soul.

 

[p_rehbein]

IMO, unbelievers are not able to "truly" love anyone. Yes, they can experience the physical level of love/desire and covet things, but to truly love as God loves, and as believers should love, they are not capable because they do not know God.

Scripture tells us to put God first in all things, and this includes our love.......Him first, then family. It may sound cruel, but it really isn't. For if we love God first with all our hearts and minds and souls, we will so much better love our family.

 

[OneFaith]

I know this sounds blasphemous at the start, to consider how many people love their close ones more than they do God. You may say this is presumptive of me, as I do not know their hearts, but it is an intriguing question. I consider myself in respect to this question. Do I love God like I love my father, my mother, my brother, and my sister? There is a fondness I have in my heart for these people, I love them deeply. Do I have this same fondness for God? If not, how do I grow in it, develop it?

For some God is distant in their imagination. They don't have any real fellowship with God. They believe in His existence but not that He is with them. A tragedy in remembrance of the cross. How Christ died (and resurrected) that we may be reconciled to God. I do love God, and He knows this, but I think upon the fondness within family, the bond. The unity. The shared experience of life, and being. Can we not share this same level of "intimacy" with God?

I imagine it is through knowing His voice. Listening to His voice. Prayer, but more so, listening. Walking in His will, to be about the Father's business. To see the heart of God. Such revelations will grow one's fondness for God, to witness His love, his heart, his mercy and grace. We too partake in Communion in remembrance of Christ's work on our behalf. We behold the love of God, and are transformed. Its as if in a loving family it is a giving of another, and with God, it is a receiving that does yield giving. A cycle of reciprocity, giving and receiving.

Can you imagine the joy that is found within such a fondness, to share in that experience at a moment's notice? How beautiful it would be to experience the love of God, and likewise give love to God, as one does with those that are most beloved in our hearts. Closing your eyes entering His presence as like an embrace of those you cherish.

Do you love God like you love your family? Are you fond of the Lord?

I love my family so so much, but that comes from loving God. I loved my babies enough to feed them, clothe them, go over their house when they're an adult just to make them coffee cause they had a hard day at work and can't reach the remote lol. The love and the loving things I do are an expression of my love for God. He wants me to respond with love. He wants me to like, love, and cherish that one of a kind soul that He created and entrusted to my care.

It's like a tree. You have the big trunk (my love for God). And from that love there are many branches (many types of relationships) that lead to many leaves (people) and not one of them alike. I love many different people in many different ways, but it is all love that flows from me, to God, and extends to those He created. Loving them is part of loving God Who made them. Yes I love them and like them for who their soul is.

But if one of these 'leaves' were to say to me "Forget the other leaves, and even the Trunk, and love only me." First of all, my love for them comes from the Trunk and through the Trunk. Second of all, to leave the Trunk would be to leave everything that is right, and, good, and life! So no matter how much I love a leaf, if that leaf were to leave everything right and good, I would not be going with them. I love the Trunk most of all. The trunk IS love. And if that person were worth loving they would not be complete void of God.

This is what Moses realised. He loved Pharaoh. He was his brother. He had many years of fond memories with him growing up. But, when it all boils down to it, everything good you liked about that person came from God, take that away and what do you have? I want more of God, not less. Someday, most people will be completely separated from God. I don't want to be one of them. If they truly are a good person we'll both be in heaven. If someone chooses to leave everything right and good, how could I choose them over God? If they are going to heaven I won't have to choose. But given the choice, I wouldn't give up God for anyone, not even my children. Physical family on this earth lasts a short 120 years tops. But my spiritual family, especially God Himself will never end, ever.