How to know if I love God

Gen 29:20  And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.

Jacob served Laban seven years for Rachel. Seven years is a long time. But seven years seems like a few days to Jacob? Why? It’s because of love.

Albert Einstein was a great physicist. His greatest brainchild is the theory of relativity. He was asked on many occasions to explain it. He had a great sense of humour too. Once, when asked the same question again, he replied: “When you are courting a nice girl an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder a second seems like an hour. That's relativity.”

Love makes all the difference. Love makes all the difference when it comes to spiritual gifts. Without love gifts are nothing, no matter how wonderful they appear (1 Cor 13:1-3).

Love makes all the difference when it comes to work. When you love your work, you go to work each morning with a smile. Each day passes by so fast that you wish you have more time. But if you hate your work, you have to drag yourself each morning to go to the office. Time also seems to move so slowly that you keep looking at the clock and wonder why it is not moving.

Jacob loved Rachel. Love makes all the difference to the work he was doing. He did it for love. He did it with love. Seven years passed so quickly like it was only few short days.

When you put love into your work, seven years seems like a few days too. Love makes all the difference when it comes to the work of God. How I wish I could get every member of the church to be busy in the kingdom of God. But sad to say, there are only a handful who will work the work of God.

There are many reasons to it. One is due to a lack of faith. Another is a lack of love. Do they love God? Would you take on a job that pays you nothing, enjoys no benefits, no bonuses or sick leave and annual leave, and is expected to work twenty-four hours daily and three hundred and sixty-five days a year? I guarantee you won’t take that job. You think only a crazy person will take it.

But you are wrong! There is a special kind of people who will take up that job. They are called MOTHERS. Children, love your mother. My wife is busy from morning until midnight. Why? The answer is Love. Love makes all the difference. She does it for love and with love. Burden seems light when you do it with love and for love.

Do you love God? Love has to be seen in action. A mother’s love is seen by her actions. God wants us to demonstrate our love: “Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love” (2 Cor 8:24). Can you prove that you love God?

To the church at Thessalonica, Paul remembered their work of faith, labour of love and patience of hope in Christ Jesus (1 Thess 1:3). That church had a working faith and a labouring love. They didn’t just talk; they worked.

Is it tiring to work for God? The law of relativity comes in: it depends whether you do it with love or not.

When I say I do it for love, I mean I am doing something because I love God. Love does not count the cost. A mother does not count the cost of her labour; she does it because she loves her husband and children. It is called labour of love. Do you love God? Those who love God love to do the work of God.

When I say I do it with love, I mean I love the work I am doing. I am putting love into my work. Work becomes easy when one does it with love. Do you love the work of God?

The bible tells of a beautiful woman by the name of Dorcas. The scripture describes her as a woman who was “full of good works and acts of charity” (Acts 9:36, ESV).She loved to make garments for the saints. Why? She loved God and the Christians. Those who love God love those whom God loves too. How did she demonstrate her love? She served. Paul wrote: “by love serve one another” (Gal 5:13).

We have a lovely sister who loves to cook for the saints. She enjoys cooking; she loves what she is doing. And she loves God’s people. She does it for love and with love.

But ask someone else who has no love to cook for a fellowship. She will have every excuse to make – it’s a lot of hassle and work, inconvenient, she is busy, and etc.

Relativity: Love or no love makes all the difference. Jacob was in love: seven years is not a problem. Do you love God? Do you love the saints? Then, work should not be a problem. 

Jimmy Lau

Psa 119:97  Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.