GENUINE LOVE MOTIVATES SHARING

Read a really good book lately?  Seen an Academy Award worthy movie?  Discovered an inexpensive restaurant with "out of this world" food?  Know of an outstanding doctor or dentist?  If so, what do you always do?  You tell somebody!  In fact, many times, you cannot wait to see someone, so you call or e-mail them!  You, by nature, love to share with others, right?

One of the most important texts found in the Old Testament, at least to the Jews, is found in Deuteronomy 6:1-9.  It says:

"Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:  that thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.  Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.  Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:  and thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.  And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:  and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.  And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.  And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates."

God, motivated by love for His children, wants us to know that focusing upon His Word, believing it, and doing it, is the basis for living a life that is not only pleasing to God, but which is the true source of one's own joy (v. 1-5).  And because He wants us to love our children as He loves His, He tells us to give them their proper place in our hearts (v. 6), and share them with our children, our grandchildren (v. 7), and with everyone we meet or who comes to our home (v. 8-9)!

When we look at those who met Jesus in the New Testament, often, the first thing they did was to go tell somebody.  When Andrew met Jesus, he immediately went to tell his brother Peter (Jn. 1:40-41).  When Philip recognized Jesus as the Messiah of Israel, he immediately went and told Nathanael (Jn. 1:43-46).  And when the Samaritan woman met Jesus at the well, she left her water pot and ran to tell those living in her city (Jn. 4:28-30).

When as a twenty-eight year old atheist, I came to trust in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, I immediately began telling my wife, my children, my co-workers, and I called my dad.  Not only was I filled with great joy over discovering Jesus, I wanted everyone else to come to know Him too!  Today, over forty years later, I am writing this blog to tell anyone who will read it, Jesus died for me because He loved me; God raised Him from the dead because He loved me; and the Holy Spirit convinced me, sealed me, and guides me (when I will let Him).  Jesus is everything to me, and more than anything, I want you to experience the joy of knowing Him and of serving Him, and to have the confidence that when you die, you will live eternally with Him!

 Why?  Because I love you!