“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” – 1 John 5:3 

Scripture reading: 1 John 5:1-5; Psalm 119:17-24

What comes out of our lips is a reflection of who we are.  If you listen to someone for any amount of time, you soon learn what type of person he is.  This is equally true of God.  The Bible is His Word and as His Word, it tells us who God is.  The moment a person comes to faith in the Lord Jesus, there is a new relationship established between that person and God.  In Jesus Christ, we truly desire to know God and to please Him.  It is precisely for this reason that a true believer loves God’s commandments.  These commandments tell us something about the God that we love and these commandments teach us how to best please Him.  The Psalmist can declare that God’s testimonies are his delight (Psalm 119:24) and he pleads with God to allow him to see wonderful things from the Law (Psalm 119:18).  If we love God, then His commandments are not burdensome.

Because the Bible is God’s revelation of Himself, it is essential for our fellowship with God.  We must come to the Bible first and foremost with the desire that our fellowship with God would be nurtured in that Word.  Some study the Bible to prove it wrong, some study it to win an argument, but those who truly know the Lord Jesus Christ will come to the Bible with a longing to know God better.  Be encouraged, God always honours this humble attitude!

Suggestions for prayer

Pray for a humble heart that the Lord would bless your devotions to your soul.  Pray that you would know deeper fellowship with God each time you read the Word.

Rev. Brian Murray is the associate pastor at Grace ARP Church and the Director of Gillespie Academy in Woodstock, Ontario. He has been ordained in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church since 2003 and he and his wife Melissa have four children. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.