For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin. – II Corinthians 11:2
As a pastor, I can say that is exactly the way I feel about Grace Life Church. I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. Then Paul says, “For I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.” Through the ministry of the Word and the Spirit, you have been "betrothed" by your Father, your heavenly Father, to one husband, Jesus Christ. Now you are to spend your energies cultivating your love for Him.
Let’s get practical about the ordained means for that to happen. First, how are your daily devotions? That is essential to cultivate a crush on God. Some of you just miss too many days of seeking God in the word and in prayer. Take your small group lesson; take what the pastor will preach the next week; take a book of the bible and divide it into sections. Spend some time in the word on a daily basis. Stir your heart toward God in your daily devotions.
What about memorizing and meditating on scripture? I have an unfair advantage. It is my job to pour into a text to prepare for the pulpit. I do not remember a week when I did not have a deep blessed moment in my study where I was just compelled in my spirit, usually with tears, to say, "Oh, how I love Christ!" Do you know why? I was actively meditating on the word! I didn’t feel that when I opened my Bible, but as I stayed in it, it cultivated within my heart a love for Him.
Are you allowing others to hold you accountable? We don’t want to be legalistic; nevertheless, accountability is very helpful and even essential for cultivating a continual "crush" on God! (Proverbs 27:17) Meet with somebody weekly and agree to ask each other about your quiet times, scripture memory and meditation, and witnessing efforts. That’s part of reining in our lazy, wandering flesh and cultivating a love for God.
What about your church attendance and fellowship? Some folks just miss too much church. You ought to be more faithful. Why is this? God has ordained His local church and the fellowship therein, especially the preaching of the word, to cultivate and grow in your love for Him. I think one of the reasons why He made the local church essential is to humble us. I'm your pastor and you know me; there is nothing special about me. I’m a sinner just like you, and you’ve seen my failures and weaknesses. You have seen that I’ve had to repent and humble myself and start over. But it ought to humble you that God uses weak men as instruments of your sanctification. That’s part of His means, and He has no Plan B. When we make it to heaven, we will have one Pastor, who is Jesus!
So, let’s continually cultivate a crush on God. He put the flame in our hearts to love Him, but He commands us to fan it, to feed it, and to let it take over our lives. Then one day you’ll get to heaven and you will finally love Him perfectly and fully. You won’t have to fight your old flesh that pulls you away anymore. You will love Him fully, and correspondingly your pleasures will continue to deepen with wonders beyond compare!