If you listen to popular music it seems that everyone is looking for love. Now here is a strange thing, many of us are just not comfortable with our emotions. Even worse some of us are even afraid of them and tend to live from just our intellect. Emotion does not play the same part in the lives of all of us, but it plays an important role in every life, nevertheless. A person devoid of emotion is not a human being but a monstrosity. In every relationship of life emotion has its place. It must therefore be considered in our relationship with God. We love God mainly with our emotions. Intellect may supply reasons why we should obey god; will move us forward in service, but love for God is not kindled till our emotions are caught in greater or lesser degree. Everyone who can love another human being can love God. To a great extent the quality of love depends on the depth of our self-giving to the loved one. “Love is the complete abandonment of personality to personality.” That is the secret of every great human love. It is also the secret of our love for God. The quality of our religions experience is largely determined by the extent of our self-abandonment to God. The reality of God is more vividly apprehended as we commit ourselves more completely to His will. What, in your life, are you unwilling to put under God’s control? Whatever it is, that is the cloud which obscures God’s face and prevents you from giving yourself to Him. A vital experience of God is possible to every normal person willing to give God complete control. The Bible reminds us “If any man will come after Me let him deny himself.” Self-giving brings us face to face with God.
John.