Enlarging our Love for God: The Importance, Prayer, and Means

Lord, Enlarge My Love for You

When we think of the Christian life, we often focus on acts of service, evangelism, and obedience. While these are essential components of the faith, they cannot be sustained without a deep and abiding love for God. As John Piper famously wrote, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him." Therefore, if we desire to live a life that brings glory to God, we must ask him to enlarge our love for him.

The Importance of Loving God

Scripture is clear that loving God is not optional. In fact, it is the greatest commandment. Jesus tells us in Matthew 22:37-38, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment." This commandment is echoed throughout the Bible, from Deuteronomy 6:5 to 1 Corinthians 16:22.

But why is loving God so important? First, it is the foundation of our relationship with him. We cannot claim to know God if we do not love him. Second, loving God produces obedience. Jesus tells us in John 14:15, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." Third, loving God brings joy and peace. Psalm 16:11 says, "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

The Problem of a Small Love

While we may understand the importance of loving God, we often struggle to do so. Our love for God can become small and weak, overshadowed by the cares of this world. We may find ourselves going through the motions of the Christian life without truly delighting in God. This is a dangerous place to be. As Jesus warns the church in Ephesus, "You have abandoned the love you had at first" (Revelation 2:4).

When our love for God is small, our Christian life becomes a burden rather than a joy. We may feel like we are constantly failing, unable to live up to God's standards. We may struggle with doubt and fear. We may even be tempted to give up on the faith altogether.

Praying for an Enlarged Love

The good news is that God desires to enlarge our love for him. In fact, he commands us to ask for it. In Psalm 119:32, the psalmist prays, "I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart!" This prayer should be on our lips as well. We should ask God to increase our love for him, to give us a passion for his glory, and to fill us with joy in his presence. As we do so, we can trust that he will answer our prayers.

How can we pray for an enlarged love for God?

• Confess our lack of love: We must start by confessing our lack of love for God. We cannot expect him to increase our love if we are not honest about our current state.


• Ask for an enlarged heart: Pray specifically for God to enlarge your heart, to give you a greater capacity for love.


• Pray for a passion for God's glory: Ask God to give you a hunger and thirst for his glory, to delight in his goodness and faithfulness.


• Pray for joy in God's presence: Ask God to fill you with joy in his presence, to help you see the beauty of who he is and what he has done for you.


• Pray for obedience: Ask God to help you obey him out of love, rather than duty or obligation.

The Means of an Enlarged Love

While prayer is essential in asking God to enlarge our love for him, there are also means that he uses to accomplish this. One of the primary means is the Bible. The Bible is not merely a book of rules or stories, but a revelation of God's character and love for us. As we read and meditate on the Bible, God uses it to transform our hearts.

In particular, the Psalms are a wonderful resource for cultivating love for God. The psalmists express a range of emotions, from joy and praise to doubt and despair. They teach us how to bring our whole selves to God and trust him in all circumstances. We can learn from their example and allow the Psalms to shape our own prayers and worship.

Another means of an enlarged love for God is fellowship with other believers. We were not meant to walk the Christian life alone. As we gather with other believers to worship, pray, and study the Bible, God uses these interactions to deepen our love for him. We can encourage one another, hold each other accountable, and spur one another on in the faith.

The Fruit of an Enlarged Love

When God enlarges our love for him, our Christian life becomes a joy rather than a burden. We no longer feel like we are striving in our own strength, but are empowered by the Holy Spirit to live for God's glory. We experience a deeper sense of peace and contentment, knowing that we are loved by our heavenly Father.

Furthermore, an enlarged love for God produces fruit in our lives. Galatians 5:22-23 tells us, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." When we love God, we display these characteristics in our interactions with others. We become more patient, more kind, more faithful, and more self-controlled. Our love for God overflows into love for others.

Conclusion

As we look to the year ahead, let us make it our aim to ask God to enlarge our love for him. Let us confess our lack of love, pray for an enlarged heart, and seek out the means that God has given us to cultivate this love. And let us trust that as we do so, God will use us to bring glory to his name and to bless those around us.