LOVING GOD

 I do not want to start defining what love is because I know we all have the same concept, the very basic definition. Let's go straight to what the bible says about loving God. In fact, the bible urges us to love God, and it is termed as the greatest commandment. Mathew 22:37-40 says that " Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." NIV
The issue of loving God is a commandment not an option, I can say it is a decision that you have to make, whether to love God or not But you have to know that since it is not an option, there are critical consequences in what you choose to do.

Why do I say that loving God is a choice you have to make? The bible says that "If you love me, you will obey my commandments." John 14:15. Loving God will demand some things from you, will refrain you from some issues and that is why not everyone really loves God even though they may claim to love him. When Jesus said if we love Him we will obey His commands, it means obeying His commands is a result of loving Him. 
The issue is, let it show that you love God, both your words and deeds should reflect your love for God.

Let us look into these other verses from the book of Deuteronomy 30:19-20
 "I call heaven and earth to witness this day against you that I have set before you life and death, the blessings and the curses; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live. And may love the Lord your God, obey His voice, and cling to Him. For He is your life and the length of your days, that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to give to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." AMP
God wants us to choose life and in so doing, we will be able to love God, to obey His voice and cling to Him!
Loving God is about following His commands, it is about self denial, the thing I love about the issue of self denial is what we read from Matthew 10:39 "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" NIV. It is about losing your life for God! Many people are afraid to live for God, they think it is some kind of a burden, but the truth is, what you think you will lose when you decide to live a fully God led life can not be compared to what you will gain when you decide to love and follow God.
Most of the times we go before God in need of something, let us learn to go before God just to gaze upon His beauty, to love Him, to feel His love for us. In everything you do, do it in God's presence, and that is what the bible tells us in Colossians 3:17 "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." NIV
If I have to summarize all these, I can say that loving God is living for God. This is because, if you live for God, you will want to get closer to Him, to know more about me, to please Him.
It is my prayer that we get to start living for God and follow His commands, loving Him with all that we are and with all that we have! God bless you so much in Jesus name!!!