(Psalm 18:1)…..I will love You, O Lord, my strength. Notice David’s declaration here of his feelings towards God. David makes two profound declarations that seem to indicate how his life will be lived before the Lord. He declares his determination to love for the Lord, and he declares his absolute dependence upon the Lord. That is amazing, isn’t it? The word translated “love” here carries the idea of tender intimacy, a word of very strong devotion towards the one you love. As with Peter (John 21:15-17), and as with Mary Magdalene and other women (Matthew 28:9) (John 20:16-17).
Considering all that the Lord has done for you (us), how He loves us and has made a way for us to be saved, our hearts should also be filled with that same kind of love for Him. Shouldn’t God expect that from us? The Israelites were expected to love God (Deuteronomy 6:4-6). How? With all their heart, with all their soul, and with all their strength. In the New Testament the words “with all your mind” are added (Matthew 22:37) (Mark 12:30) (Luke 10:27), which makes the expected love even deeper. In all these verses we are to love our LORD with our whole being, emotionally, physically, and intellectually. Should God expect anything less? Should He be content with just a little love and devotion? Does God expect any less of us than He did of Israel? Of course not! We are to love God by obeying His commands (John 14:15) (1 John 5:1-5). And we are ‘blessed” by doing so (John 14:21-23) (John 15:9-10). This obedience shows our love for Him. Should we love God any less than what was expected of the Israelites? We have a very compelling reason to love Him even more, the gift of His Son.