There are some things I can love only with my head--like spiders, for instance.
I can love spiders with my head because I know that God made them and because I know that they actually catch other bugs. But I do NOT love spiders with my heart--I do not feel any sense of compassion, empathy or affection for them. At all. :)
On a similar note, John Mayer sings a song ("I Don't Trust Myself") where he asks, "Who do you love? Me? Or the thought of me?" In this song, John illustrates the difference between head and heart love. Both are actually essential when it comes to really loving people...and when it comes to loving God.
I love what Paul asked some new Christians in today's reading:
"Did you take God into your mind only,
or did you also embrace him with your heart?
Did he get inside you?"
Those are powerful questions. When God is in our minds only, we may respect Him. We may revere Him. Those qualities are important and essential to a real understanding of who He is. But we may not really love Him.
To really love Him--the real Him--is different when your heart is involved. Love from the heart means loving God when He doesn't make sense (to us anyway) or when things aren't peachy "on paper" perfect. It means that we have to stop projecting our own (sometimes ridiculous!) thoughts of who He is onto Him...and start seeing and knowing the real Him.
God wants my whole head, heart and life. Saying "I love you" to Him should not be routine and robotic, but real...and forever.
Tomorrow: Acts 21-23
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