simple love is its own reward

Let love for you always be with me, and the care of me be always with you.

Just love God. You do not need to add to the list of what you must do in this life. Love covers it all. If you fail unwittingly (you are only human), his care will be with you. He cares for those who are mistaken. We are all mistaken and he has yet to become apathetic to our need. Do not think that God’s care fails when you stumble.

Should you fail even in rebellion, his care will still attend you. He cannot be anything other than caring. He is your Father. Succeed, fail or rebel, he cares. You are the apple of his eye.

It is our love that varies, never his care. So, practice loving God always.

God blesses us all with special abilities: do not become distracted by how well or how poorly you use your ability. Just do the best you can with your gift, out of simple love for him. He loves you either way, so you really are free to just love him. Do not become troubled if another with a similar ability receives more reward for the same amount of labor you exert. God’s care still attends you and you can love him though your reward seems smaller in the world’s eyes.

In fact, simple love is its own reward. It sets one free from attachments that can only disappoint. Do not worry about loving God the way someone else loves God. God’s care for you is to have you love him as he made you, not as he made another. Love God in your way, and give your neighbor leave to love God in their way. God is able to care for your neighbor, too. You needn’t worry about how your neighbor loves God (unless your concern be from true love). Just love God as best you can in your way and don’t compare yourself to another.

We know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. -1 John 4:16