A Deeper Look

Our topic this evening will be a little different than our normal afternoon sessions.

I think it is important to think deeply about our everyday beliefs.

By doing so, we can train our mind on how to respond when we are asked why we do what we do.

Why we believe what we believe.

So, I will present a few questions that I hope we can discuss.

In some situations, I may play devil’s advocate or skeptic, to get us thinking more deeply out these topics.

What is love?

To get us started, our first question is, “What is love?”

And I don’t just mean the surface “love”, like saying you “love” ice cream, or how my wife says that I “love” sugar.

But truly, what is love in its deepest form?

I think that the deepest form of love includes 3 different aspects.

You have a deep joy in the very existence of the person you “love.”

You have an innate desire to see that person grow into the best possible version of themselves. This includes doing everything within your power to help that person become the best version of themselves.

You have a deep desire to have a union with the person you “love.” I don’t simply mean a physical union, but a intellectual and spiritual union.

This is why it says of David and Jonathan,

1 Samuel 18:1 ESV

As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

The reason that Jonathan loved David, and vice versa, is because of the three reasons we outlined above. This is what love truly means.

This brings us to our second question:

How do we become closer with God?

When someone asks us, “How do I become closer with God?”, how would you respond?

I think that this question goes hand in hand with our discussion of what “love” truly is.

The way that we connect with God is, and should be, very similar to how we connect with one another.

When we get to know someone, we start to learn who they are, what they believe in, what their goals are, among other things.

But just with knowledge of someone, can we truly say we are close with them?

I think that to be close with someone, we have to put into action that second principle of love we mentioned before, making them into the best version of themselves that they can be.

In a similar way, when we get closer with God, His goals become our goals. Who He is becomes who we are. Are we not called to be image bearers?

We start to believe what God believes. This is how we become closer with God. We make His objectives our objectives.

In addition to that, we allow ourselves to become molded by God.

Isn’t it interesting that when a couple get married, they begin to take on many of the same characteristics?

Ecclesiastes 12:13–14 ESV

The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

I also think this whole discussion goes into what our duties are as image bearers of God.

We are to fear God, and keep His commandments. In so doing, we will become a light to the nations, showing them the glory of God in our lives.