Have You Hugged Your God Today?
Preaching
Lions And Cows Dining Together
And 111 Other Sermon Ideas
Object:
Purpose Statement: What does it mean to love God and do we?
Some of the great Psalms (19, 23, 33, 96, 104, 145, 148, 150) that praise God in glorious fashion describe an enthusiasm for God that isn't heard as often any more. We need to reread these Psalms and ask ourselves if they express our feelings of devotion and faith. And if they don't, does it disturb us?
a. Why don't we love God? Of course, we love God. Then why is it we aren't reading some of these exuberant Psalms with eagerness and joy? Two possibilities come to mind. First, God is abstract and we find it difficult to love the invisible and mysterious. Second, we seldom feel the need to love God -- or, at least, make any changes in our relationship with God at this time. Considering the first suggestion that God is abstract, we find it so much easier to love our family and friends because they are physical and more visible. It seems easier to experience their love for us. God's love seems indirect and remote. While we do see and feel the results of God's love: life, joy, beauty, satisfaction, forgiveness, and so much more; it is not easy to make the connection with the abstract. We look at the beautiful and special things of life and say they are gifts from God, but we don't see God directly. This leads us to the second suggestion that we feel we are getting along nicely without God's help. We "earn" everything we need and want, and for most of us, it comes too easily. Consequently, a comfortable and materialistic lifestyle isn't conducive to sensing the need for God. We would be surprised to know how few Christians find time, or even the desire, to worship God every day.
b. How do we go about loving God? Stopping taking God for granted is a good start. Reading these Psalms with the desire to capture the feeling and attitudes of those who originally recited them in special worship moments, and asking why they felt such adoration for God are ways to experience God's love. Continually reminding ourselves the love, beauty, and joy we experience each day is a part of God's gifts to us, will cause us to associate our appreciation with God. Loving God is a very real and warm gratitude within. It continues in thankful service as we use our time, energies, talents, possessions, and environment as loving stewards to express our worship of God. Loving God is being more loving of other people. We have to want to experience the exhilaration expressed by those who recited these Psalms as acts of love for God.
Some of the great Psalms (19, 23, 33, 96, 104, 145, 148, 150) that praise God in glorious fashion describe an enthusiasm for God that isn't heard as often any more. We need to reread these Psalms and ask ourselves if they express our feelings of devotion and faith. And if they don't, does it disturb us?
a. Why don't we love God? Of course, we love God. Then why is it we aren't reading some of these exuberant Psalms with eagerness and joy? Two possibilities come to mind. First, God is abstract and we find it difficult to love the invisible and mysterious. Second, we seldom feel the need to love God -- or, at least, make any changes in our relationship with God at this time. Considering the first suggestion that God is abstract, we find it so much easier to love our family and friends because they are physical and more visible. It seems easier to experience their love for us. God's love seems indirect and remote. While we do see and feel the results of God's love: life, joy, beauty, satisfaction, forgiveness, and so much more; it is not easy to make the connection with the abstract. We look at the beautiful and special things of life and say they are gifts from God, but we don't see God directly. This leads us to the second suggestion that we feel we are getting along nicely without God's help. We "earn" everything we need and want, and for most of us, it comes too easily. Consequently, a comfortable and materialistic lifestyle isn't conducive to sensing the need for God. We would be surprised to know how few Christians find time, or even the desire, to worship God every day.
b. How do we go about loving God? Stopping taking God for granted is a good start. Reading these Psalms with the desire to capture the feeling and attitudes of those who originally recited them in special worship moments, and asking why they felt such adoration for God are ways to experience God's love. Continually reminding ourselves the love, beauty, and joy we experience each day is a part of God's gifts to us, will cause us to associate our appreciation with God. Loving God is a very real and warm gratitude within. It continues in thankful service as we use our time, energies, talents, possessions, and environment as loving stewards to express our worship of God. Loving God is being more loving of other people. We have to want to experience the exhilaration expressed by those who recited these Psalms as acts of love for God.
