DECEMBER 15, 2025 ~ FROM A PASTOR'S HEART

DECEMBER 15 DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READING: PSALM 116

I am going to ask you to join me in going a little deeper today. Have you ever stopped and thought about why you love and trust the Lord? I am sure that at the beginning of our relationship with Him most of us would answer something like...because He forgave my sin and gave me eternity in heaven. As time goes by in any relationship we need to re-evaluate the basis of our relationship. With God I fear that far too many of us base our continued relationship with Him merely on utilitarian reasons. We love Him because of what He does...we believe in Him as long as everything we want we get...we will trust Him as long as He does what we need Him to do, how we need Him to do it and when we tell Him to do it. If God ever fails our expectations then we walk away. Have you ever prayed, "God I will love you if"… or "God I will believe in you if you do...?"

As we grow in our relationship with God we should really be moving to the statement, “GOD, I LOVE YOU!" Can we love God, just because He is and not based on what He does for us? Will we trust Him even if He doesn’t meet our expectations in everything we want? Could we possibly trust Him if our world was suddenly turned upside down and we lost everything? These are hard questions I know...I am not sure I want to ask or answer them. But, I believe this is where the Lord wants us to come in our relationship with Him. Just think about it this way, what if you had a "friend" that was only your friend because of what they could get out of you and the only time they talked to you was to get you to do something for them? What if someone said, "I will only love you, if you will do certain things for me?” This is not a basis for a good relationship! God did not love us because of what He could get out of us. He loved us because He loves us...period! Is God enough? Is He enough because of who He is for us to love Him? Is He enough for who He is for us to trust Him? Is God enough?

Please share your thoughts.