It was going so well.
I was reading Richard Foster’s article on spiritual formation and finding myself engaging with everything he was saying. Then this statement stumped me:
“In practicing the Spiritual Disciplines we are simply learning to fall in love with Jesus over and over and over again.” ben hur a tale of the christ dvdrip
Is that really what we are doing?
At the Forge Summit Mike Frost was speaking of how our world has idealised romantic love and made it into the highest form of love. And how as the church we have copied this and now see ‘falling in love’ with Jesus as the ultimate goal.
He was arguing that in this notion of love we are simply becoming products of our culture. Does Jesus really want us to ‘fall in love with him?’
He does restraint dvd download want us to love him and I am absolutely sure that such love does involve our feelings, but I am with Frosty on this one. When we need to ‘fall in love’ we speak of our love for Jesus in the same terms as a teenage infatuation rather than as a long term marriage commitment that sometimes has its deep passionate intimacy and sometimes has long periods when that is not there (or is my marriage just a lousy one?)
As much as it feels kinda rude to disagree with a mind like Foster’s, I believe the practice of spiritual disciplines is not to make us fall in love with Jesus, but to help us become more like him. In this we express out love for him – by doing what he says and allowing him to guide our actions even when we don’t feel like it.
What do you think? Am I missing something here?
Revelations 2
Nevertheless I have [somewhat] against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Sometimes we do fall out of love.
John 21:16
Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
Love is unconditional, it never changes..
In regards to the question Does Jesus really want us to ‘fall in love with him?’
Most certainly.. He is our all in all.. He is the source of our strength. strenght.
I agree that the loving feeling for Jesus is not the ultimate goal for a Christian. I think we can simply say to love Jesus is our ultimate goal: which would include the feelings, obedience and so on.
But I don’t think that is what Foster meant. Do you think that’s what he meant? I just think we must love God with our entire mind, all our soul and all our heart… That would include both feelings and obedience !!!
Yes feelings is not the most important, but it is certainly part of it and I think if feelings for Jesus goes away we can ask God to give it back to us, just as when we are tempted to sin we pray to stay obedient. Both are important !