Could One Love God More Than All Else?
Let us examine why loving God above all else is so essential.
The Meaning of Love
lust or longing for something physical. Desire is the love of the flesh—it is attracted to beauty, knowledge, status, wealth, a pleasant voice, and eloquent speech. When beauty fades and becomes ugly, when status falls and power is lost, or when poverty arrives, this desire vanishes.
An example from Scripture illustrates this point: Amnon, son of David, loved his half‑sister Tamar so intensely that he could not eat or drink (2 Samuel 13:1–19). Following the advice of his cousin Jonadab, Amnon had Tamar bake cakes and then took advantage of her. Afterward he turned against her with intense hatred and threw her out of the room. Why did Amnon hate Tamar? It was not because of true love but because of lust for her beauty and physical attraction.
True love is not based on these things. It endures even when someone is unattractive, poor, or ignorant. This kind of love does not come from desire; it comes from compassion. God’s love for humanity is like this. In God's eyes, humans have no redeeming qualities. The truth is that in God's sight, people are guilty and unworthy of love, yet God loves them anyway—so much so that He gave His only Son (John 3:16). God has nothing to gain or desire from humanity; His love for mankind is purely compassionate. Compassion is love itself.
Here, people might ask whether loving God is the same as feeling compassion for Him. Well, God Himself does not need compassion because He is neither poor nor suffering. Loving God must be expressed through reverence, admiration, and gratitude. We do not love God first; rather, God loves us first, as John wrote: “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).
It is a Command
God has commanded humans to love Him. In the Bible it says: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5). You may ask whether it’s possible to command someone to love; isn’t love a natural feeling that comes from within? As previously mentioned, love driven by desire is produced by external appearance. However, compassion and affectionate love mainly arise through association or relationship.
A child raised by an unrelated older couple will come to love them as parents. Children do not love their parents because they are beautiful, wealthy, knowledgeable, or strong; rather, they love them because they meet and live together every day. Most often, people fall in love with one another through daily interaction and companionship. The longer the time spent together, the stronger the bond becomes.
Those who do not live with their parents but instead live with their grandparents tend to love their grandparents more than their parents. Therefore, to have affectionate love, we need to live together and maintain a continuous relationship.
A Close Relationship Is Essential
The reason many people do not love God is simple: from birth they have never formed a relationship with Him. Even when they participate in church activities, they build friendships among themselves instead of forming a bond with God.
In Deuteronomy 6:5‑9 the Lord says, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."
It is not enough merely to hear God’s command; you must keep it in your heart—never forget it and give it priority. Not only should you love God yourself, but you must also teach your children to do the same. Parents constantly care for their children: they sacrifice sleep, neglect work, forego socializing, put aside hobbies, and endure hardships—all for their children's well‑being. In the same way, you must instill in your children a love for God as if He were right before them—never let go or neglect Him.
Are we doing this today? Do our children learn more about education and worldly matters than about loving God? Why don’t we teach them? Because we ourselves do not love God. The Scripture says that the words of God should be tied on your forehead as a reminder; you must always pay attention to what is upon it.
The Israelites failed to understand the Lord’s intention. They made small leather bands, called frontlets, and wrote Deuteronomy 6:4‑9, 11:13‑21, and Exodus 13:1‑16 on them, tying them around their foreheads and arms. Yet this practice proved ineffective. Christians today do not rely on such physical reminders; instead they admire those who master Scripture, can quote passages, and preach. Those achievements are valuable, but if one does not love God with all heart and strength, the benefits are meaningless.In that sense, many end up as wrongfully misguided as the Israelites did.
Jesus' Viewpoint
In Matthew 23:5 Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for performing deeds that are meant to be seen by people: “They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long.”
Likewise, believers who act out devotion, give gifts, preach, or sing only to gain recognition do not truly benefit. They love people more than God, fear human anger more than divine wrath, and focus on the feelings of those around them rather than on God Himself. When we love someone else, everything seems complete; yet Christians today often place people above God.
The Lord also warned that “These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. They teach the commandments of men as doctrines of God” (Isaiah 29:13). Jesus echoed this when He said, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give God a tenth of your spices, but you have neglected the weightier matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have followed these, but you have not.” (Matthew 15:7‑9).
Not only the Jews of Jesus’ time but also today’s Christians often love God only with their mouths. Because their hearts are not engaged, it is difficult for them to listen to God’s words or carry out His will.
What Should You Do to Love God?
If you want to deepen your love for God, begin by studying the Bible carefully. To truly understand it, read and meditate on it daily—just as the Bereans did (Acts 17:11). Don’t read out of duty or obligation; pray for insight while you read. Even on the busiest days, make time to engage with God’s Word, which comes from a loving Creator.
After each reading session, keep what you’ve learned and revisit it often so you can savor its “taste.”
Many people find it hard to read the Bible consistently because they don’t genuinely love God. When you love Him with all your heart, His Word becomes irresistible.
Alcohol, betel nut, durian, dogfruit, and stink beans may not initially entice you. However, with repeated use they can become addictive, and their tastes may come to appeal to you over time. The same principle applies to Scripture. Even if the Bible doesn’t immediately attract you, read it consistently. Eventually you will grasp its meaning and experience its nourishment.
Remember that God is spirit—you cannot share the same kind of physical fellowship we have with other humans. Yet your desire to study His Word reflects your love for Him. Not only should you read the Bible, but you should also pray. Praying is talking to God. When you talk with friends or loved ones, you don’t just ask them for something; you exchange feelings and emotions. Likewise, express all of your feelings to God. Even though He may not physically hear what you say, know that He hears everything.
Follow whatever God commands you to do in order to love Him. If you do so, you will feel joy and be able to praise Him.
Jesus said, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ yet do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). Just as disobedience toward parents creates disharmony with them, disobedience toward God produces disharmony with Him. Without harmony there can be no intimacy; without intimacy there can be no love.
To truly love God, contemplate His greatness, power, goodness, and mercy—and all that He has done. When you do this, you will marvel at God. Love requires time: the longer you spend with Him, the more you come to love Him. Once you begin to love God, it becomes easier to follow Him, and you’ll be very eager to do His will.
