I have a Best of AW Tozier book that I read from frequently in my devo time. This morning I read an excerpt from the book that dealt with our love of Christ. The verse that led me to surrendering my life to Christ in December 1995 is John 14:15 - "If you love me, you will obey my commands." Tozier, without referencing this particular verse, really hits the nail on the head with regard to the connection between obedience and love. He writes about how true love doesn't come from obedience. In other words, someone can't command you to love him/her.
Tozier goes on to explain that there are two kinds of love: a love of feeling and a love of willing. The love that lies in emotions is its own master and rises and falls as it chooses. The love that Jesus talks about is a love of willing, the willed tendency of the heart. Righteousness and holiness come from the will, not emotions.
The commitment of our will leads us to a commitment of following and serving Jesus Christ. The corruption of our will leads us into sin and evil. By willing to put God first in our lives and love Him with everything that we are and everything that we have, we find it much easier for our emotional love to follow genuinely. The consistency of our emotional love is more secure, and there is less risk from the danger of an undisciplines heart.
Lord, may our will lead us into a love affair with you!
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