In the same way that you cannot teach a person to love, you cannot teach someone to have a heart for the Lord. You can show them what a heart for the Lord looks like. You can show the characteristics of a heart for God. No matter how much we may want to teach someone to love the Lord, we cannot.
It's easy to fall in love with someone. How does it usually happen? Well, let's be honest! Usually the first thing is a physical attraction. You notice the person, you're attracted to the person, you spend time with the person. You get to know their likes, dislikes, views on certain areas, and you continue to learn who they are. During the process of learning that person, you begin to connect to them emotionally. You begin to love them. And as long as you are connecting with them, your love for that person grows. Now, of course there are exceptions, but in a normal, honest relationship, this is usually how it goes.
So why is it so difficult to fall in love with the Lord? I believe there are two major reasons why falling in love with the Lord is difficult and frankly, very uncommon. The first reason is that it is unattractive to some. The first look at God and Christianity is unpleasant to some, so why would they want to pursue it any further? Now there are those who will never have an interest in God or religion. They hate the thought of it. But some would be open to God, except what they have seen of others who call themselves Christians. This is a problem. There are those who loudly proclaim they are Christian, but are full of hatred, hypocrisy, and doctrinally are blind. Anyone who truly is a follower of Christ can see the evil that is within them. The sad thing is, they get attention. More and more the lost world is seeing a false image of what Christianity is. Those of us who love the Lord MUST show it. And we must share the love that God has given to us with others. We must share it through the gospel, yes, but also through patience, kindness, forgiveness, and genuine compassion. We must become friends to the lost, just as Jesus was a friend to the sinners in his day.
Many people will come to Christ, and still never develop a heart for God. They may develop a heart for church, or for religion, or for people, but not a heart for God. This is because they are investing their time in church, or religious practices, or people. But they are not investing their time in a personal walk with God. Sure, they will learn more about God, but their relationship with God will not deepen until they spend time with God. It is so rare to find a Christian who consistently spends time in Bible reading and prayer. We live in a busy world. And sadly, the most important things are often pushed aside.
I sincerely hope that if you have a heart for the Lord, you will show it boldly. I pray that if you do not have a heart for the Lord, that you will develop one. I pray that if you do not know the Lord, you will accept him. He loves you individually, and desires to have an individual relationship with you!
Very well said. I, personally, need to make more of an effort to spend time with God. Thanks for the reminder :-)
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