In life there is a dummies guide to everything. Everything except how to love Jesus. I was recently asked in the comments of my blog how someone can fall in love with Jesus? That’s a great question. So great I thought I’d throw it out to you.
How would you tell someone to fall in love with Jesus? I’ll see you in the comments.
For me, there is no dummies guide to falling in love with Jesus because he isn’t a formula to be solved or DIY bird house kit. The answer to that question is probably different for everyone. Kind of like, how do you fall in love with your spouse? My general advice would be get connected with people who do love Jesus, watch and learn from them, see how that relationship works for others, and read up on the Man, knowing someone (and knowing things about them) can be an important part of loving them.
Sirvhim, I couldn’t agree more. Have you read Searching For God Knows What by Donald Miller? He talks about that exact thing in his book. He says that people have made Jesus like a recipe. Just follow these simple steps and you will get these results. But there are no simple steps for loving Jesus so much that you would die to yourself every day.
My first thought was, “Dude, what did you get yourself into?” My next thought was, “I have no clue what to say.” I agree with Sirvhim that each person comes to Jesus and “falls in love” with Jesus in different ways. i met my wife in college and our friendship grew as we crawled through Carter Caves State Park caves with friends. Our first date was a disaster. But somehow we are still together 38+ years later (40 if you count the 2 years dating). Will everyone crawl through caves and have a disastrous first date? No, obviously not. Same with “falling in love with Jesus.” I don’t like that phrase though because you don’t fall in love. I didn’t with my wife. She drew me in (and yes her physical make up was part of it). 🙂 Jesus draws me to Him. He woos with His love. I see it as something that takes time and develops. Spend time asking questions-of Him and His people. Ask Him to show ways of His love so that yours can be deepened. Then, let it develop over time. sorry not much help here rob.
Bill, you are a great help. You are a part of the conversation and that helps. I think one key thing that you said was “Ask Him.” You can’t force love. You can’t will yourself to love Jesus. There is a part of it that does come from Him. The Bible says seek God and He will be found in you. I think that we too often settle for the rituals of God just so we can check something off a list.
Wow. I kinda go along with Bill here. But I will say that I would explain a variation of Micah 6:8
I don’t think you can love someone until it becomes fully personal. Sure being around others who love Jesus can help you to take notice and become sensitive to what He might be all about. But without a personal relationship developed over a period of time, where you can sense His presence and His purpose and His role, He will just be a concept.
Rob, I would ask how you fell in love with your spouse? Can it be much different? Yet it is and isn’t.
Well…i think it’s dangerous to use that wording…”fall in love with” because i believe it to be a secular way of looking at it…
If you could “fall in love” with Jesus…
Could you Fall OUT-of love with Jesus…
Jesus said if you love me…keep my commandments…
Jesus asked peter 3 times…peter…do you love me?…
Then get me flowers and buy me chocolates on our date….
uh NO…he didn’t say that…he said…
Tend to my sheep…
We love Jesus…when we Love and take care of People…
We love Jesus…when we meet the needs of the helpless…
and if you ask me…not many of us love Jesus…including myself….it that is the standard by which Jesus gave…
I never thought of it that way. I’ve never liked the term “fall in love with Jesus” because it seems too feminized to me. It sounds as if women are in romantic love with Jesus, but for guys, he should just be your buddy or your pal or something. And, as a guy, I think it sounds weird to say “I’m in love with Jesus” instead of “I love Jesus for who He is and what He’s done.” Everything you said there was great…
You love Jesus by loving thy neighbor as thyself. Loving the widows and the orphans. Feeding the hungry and giving water to the thirsty.
Today Jesus is those people. We don’t love them… we don’t love Jesus.
Moe, I couldn’t agree more. That is how you love Jesus. But does that help you fall in love with Jesus? If that’s the case Angelina Jolie and all her humanitarian work would be an amazing Christian.
Yeah..but Angelina does not keep ALL his comandments…
plus she is not doing it for His Glory either…
So where am i going with this?…lol…i don’t think i know…but it’s there…
Arny, I agree. She doesn’t so that just shows that you can love people and serve people and not have a fat clue how to love Jesus. I think others have already commented that you can feel like you love Jesus but not do anything for the “least of these” and therefore you don’t really love Jesus. Whew…I’m tired now.
Nope, because she failed at one key element. To love truly, you have to care enough about the people you feed, and help to provide them with the bread of life and the living waters that can bring them salvation. If someone lacks Jesus, they can’t truly love. Interestingly, you can say the same about the church today.
I think that Jesus makes it easy for you. He love you and all you have to do is to open your heart and mind to His love and you will in turn find yourself loving Him. When you open your eyes to all of His love around you it is hard not to love Him back. The hardest part is not keeping your eyes shut.
Not sure where I’m going with this but I have head the theory that the one you fall in love with (spouse) chooses you. Jesus has already chosen you confessing his love upon a cross, HIS persistence never leaving your life and always being there I believe is how one may fall in love. Started to ramble some there (and in class)
I didn’t think you rambled. It made perfect sense.
Love can happen in two ways: 1) instantly “at first sight” or 2) over time as a relationship grows.
The key to sustaining the 1st and experiencing the 2nd is time. We need to spend time with Jesus and the people Jesus loves to fall in love with Him.
That Guy KC for the win. Very well said.
Spend time watching Him through Scripture. Listen to His voice as He speaks in tender ways to those who are hurting. Watch Him stand up for the oppressed and rejected. See how He reacts to persecution. Here Him call to you through Scripture and the Spirit. Then you will begin.
That’s a hard one. But I think, the more we get to know Him, the more we fall in love with Him. If we really know Him, and feel and see how much He loves us and gave for us, it’s like He’s irresistible to us. He’s exactly what we needed and that “falling in love” just comes with that assurance.
By replicating the love you’ve received onto others. Show it in your actions.