What is Our Spiritual Motivation?
If you love me, keep my commands
John 14:15
What is our motivation to serve the Lord? Is it because the Word tells us to serve? Is it because we feel satisfied? Or is it to receive God’s blessings? The scripture above says we obey God’s commands because we are motivated by love. But what is it about this love that motivates us to serve the Lord?
For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. (1 John 4:20) What does it take to have the love for people that compares to the love God has for people? God puts his love in our hearts through the Holy Spirit because he wants us to care about others and minister to them pointing them toward the Kingdom. How can we help people spiritually if we don’t have caring hearts that are willing to help people in their worldly needs?
God changed Hosea’s heart by enabling him to experience His heart. When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord.” (Hosea 1:2) The relationship Hosea had with his adulterous wife Gomer enabled him to identify with God’s heart in his relationship with the adulterous Israelite nation. It is the same for us. When we actively seek to minister to people and ask for the Spirit’s guidance, the Spirit will lead us on a journey of ministry where our hearts identify with God’s heart. This draws us closer to the Lord and helps us to see people the way God sees them.
This is the love that motivates us and it comes when we experience the heart of our Lord. We have the mind of Christ so we can live the life of Christ. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25) This verse implies that our Christian lives are more than having Godly behavior; rather, it is walking with, or obeying the Spirit to minister to the world. We become Christ-like when we let the Spirit lead us to live Christ-like lives.
Today, reflect to everyone God’s love and care, and minster to those who will listen. Seek to see people the way God sees people, spiritually as well as physically. Ask yourself, does that person know God? Start to be concerned about the lost souls who don’t know about God and eternal life, or those that have accepted Satan’s lies about eternal life.
Let’s Pray: Lord, help me to see people the way you do. Guide me by the Spirit to experience your heart for people. Give me the words and caring heart to help others. Keep molding me to be more Christ-like. In Jesus name, Amen