Learning to Love

I think we're doing something wrong.

This morning during homeschool devotions, the lesson was about Mary Magdalene and the other Mary going to Jesus' tomb to put spices on His body.  The book was reminding us how they did that totally out of love for Jesus, and how all work for Jesus is important, whether its cleaning up the church or preaching on Sunday morning.

So I asked the kids, what should be our reason for doing jobs in the church? And they didn't have a clue.  Then I asked what should be our reason for following all the rules?  And one of them responded, "so we can get to heaven?". Oh dear.  I explained that no, obeying the rules doesn't get us to heaven, the reason we do all these things is because of our love for Jesus!  I'm not sure they got it.

But I'm not sure I would have gotten it at their age either.  Learning how much God loves us and learning to love him back is a process, because its a relationship.  And as much as I'd like to, I cannot force someone into a relationship!

But I can be the example that they need.  When I have a job to do at church, do I complain about it or do I remember that this is how I can show Jesus I love him?  Yea, I definitely don't always feel that way.  Doing things out of love for Jesus makes it all a lot more fun though!

We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19