Not only is love expensive, it may also undergo a trial. If you don’t believe this, ask Abraham. At a time, Abraham was torn between his promised child Isaac and God. It became inevitable for God to test whether he still loved Him (Genesis 22:1-2). Whether you like it or not, your love for God will be tested. Usually it would be based on someone or something you really love. Isaac was about 15 years before the test. Abraham had become so fond of him to the point of Isaac being inseparable from him.
I went through my own test some years ago. It was during a Christ the Redeemer’s Congress which held on the 24th of December. It was my custom to spend the Christmas and New Year holidays with my mother because of my love for her. I therefore decided to visit her on the 23rd of December, just to see her and give her some few things before the Congress. I arrived at her house very late. As I knocked, somebody else opened the door and rejoiced that I had come. I was briefed on my mother’s illness and told she was almost at the point of death. At this time, there was no telephone to communicate with others to delegate my assignment. So I prayed for her and told her that I love her but I love God more, that after the Congress I would come back to see her, alive or dead. That was though but after the Congress she was still alive when I returned and she lived for another 15 years. In other words, God extended her life like Hezekiah’s after helping me go through the test of love.
Your love may be tested on the fiery furnace or in the lion’s den. Since Jesus laid down His life for you, He expects nothing less from you to your brethren (1 John 3:16). It is either you love God to the extreme or you don’t. I once shared with my children that to succeed could be quite expensive because of the requirement to study at night when others are sleeping, or study in the day while others are playing. One may even be called a bookworm and other names, yet that is a far cheaper price to pay than failure. If you fail, you will become a servant to your colleagues who succeeded. Every Christian may claim to be born again and on their way to Heaven, yet it is only the few who really love Him that will make it on the last day. You can be part of the few!
Every disciple of Jesus will be required to take the test of love. Ask for grace to scale through.
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