ALL YOU NEED IS GOD... THE LOVE WILL COME

“I am the Lord your God…You shall have no other gods before me.”

Exodus 20:3

I am a child of the 60’s.  The word of that era was LOVE.  There was love in the air and everyone believed that love could conquer all.  Love one another was the standard of the day.  Communes were created as groups of people lived in love with one another.  The Beatles sang the anthem of the day; “All you need is love.”  It was all beautiful, groovy, far out, and unfortunately short lived.  It was missing a major element.

Fifty years later I hear the same sentiment; all we need is love.  The movement of spirituality over religion is raising up groups of people just loving each other and everyone else in the world.  They are reimaging the church on a foundation of love.  New communes are being formed where people are committed to love one another.  It all sounds beautiful, groovy, and far out; but it is missing a major element.

The missing element is God.  God IS love.  It is an attribute of His; a gift of the Spirit.  A love that isn’t subjected to God will have no substance; it will merely be a wishful sentiment and will not be steadfast and sustainable.  To worship love is to worship one of the things of God rather than God Himself, and that is idolatry.

Those who consider themselves to be God’s people, God’s children, are commanded to have no other gods before Him.  Love is not to be a foundation; God is the only firm foundation.  From that firm foundation love will come, as will the other attributes of God, like compassion, social justice, care for the poor, and truly caring for one another.

Love is beautiful, groovy, far out, and an attribute of those who love God.  But it is God who IS love who is to be the firm foundation from which to build on.  It is God who is to be honored, worshiped, and lifted up before all else.