Love God And Do What You Will
My college professor thought he would challenge us with this quote based out of a sermon by Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, who lived from 354 AD to 430 A.D.: “Love God and do what you will!” As students, we discussed the impact of such words. Did they mean that if you love God you can do whatever you desire to do? Our professor guided us to this understanding, that when you truly love God, you will learn to love and do His will to such a degree that your will becomes replaced by God’s will and HIS desires for your own life, actions, and the lives of others.
At times in my role as district superintendent, I feel a burden to challenge churches, pastors, laypeople, and myself, to achieve some specific result. Almost as if I’m saying, “Love God and do what I ask …” For instance, each of you may be familiar with our efforts the last two years to bring outreach and evangelism to the forefront of our efforts. We hope that no church, pastor, and laity come to the end of the yearly reporting period without being able to give testimony of at least one person brought to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and of at least one person baptized into this faith. I’ve been a pastor, and I realize how at times an emphasis like this one can feel like a top-down program, maybe even as an imposition.
I’ve been asking myself a question lately about my own motivation. Why set such expectations? Why communicate the desire to see lost people brought to faith? Why ask churches to report on the number of persons baptized? My reflections have led me to fully embrace Augustine’s quote from long ago, “Love God and do as you will!” I genuinely and fully believe that God called churches into existence, pastors into the ministry, and lay people into HIS service, so that lives could be transformed. I genuinely believe that God, who is love, in HIS love for us and for the world, desires to see our hearts ablaze with compassion, love, and action for the lost, with a natural result of life transformation and of fresh witnesses of new life in Christ.
Truthfully, I trust your love for God more than I trust my ability to challenge you. You love HIM and you know what HE Desires. I’m here to pray for strength, endurance, encouragement, and joy in the journey.
By Dr. J. Phillip Fuller, Superintendent Virginia District and NBC Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Published: 04/16/2019
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