Praying "I love you" to God
- Thread starter chuckd
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What? We owe God lip-service. If we echo with the Psalmist, “O! how love I thy law!” (or His salvation, or His Name, etc.) surely we may exclaim, “I love Thee, Lord!” as the giver of that law (and salvation, and Name), acknowledging that we don’t love Him nearly as we ought, nevertheless we do so truly.
iainduguid
Puritan Board Junior
If the Song of Songs has any divine reference at all, it provides us with warrant. If the concern is praying something that may not be true for everyone (not everyone loves the Lord as they should), it would apply to all kinds of other prayers, such as "I trust you Lord (Ps 25:2; 31:14). And I don't love my wife as I should either: does that mean I shouldn't ever tell her, "I love you"?
TheInquirer
Puritan Board Junior
Also consider:
1 Corinthians 16:22 — If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed.
I think you might be talking about a matter of degree. No one - literally, no one - loves the Lord as they should (with heart, soul, mind, and strength). If you have no love at all for the Lord, you aren't a Christian. If you even have a little bit, I would think it is very appropriate to tell him you love him while at the same time confessing the smallness of your love and need for his grace and strength to grow.
1 Corinthians 16:22 — If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed.
I think you might be talking about a matter of degree. No one - literally, no one - loves the Lord as they should (with heart, soul, mind, and strength). If you have no love at all for the Lord, you aren't a Christian. If you even have a little bit, I would think it is very appropriate to tell him you love him while at the same time confessing the smallness of your love and need for his grace and strength to grow.
Does not the term "lip service" imply "mere"?
Ryan&Amber2013
Puritan Board Senior
Just how Peter answered "You know that I love You.", This is our sweet comfort as well. Through all our sins, weaknesses, and failures, thankfully our God knows that we have a love for Him within us. God requires us to love Him more so than He asks for anything else, as this is the great commandment. I hope none of us would ever feel uncomfortable about telling our great Savior of our love for Him.
Alan D. Strange
Puritan Board Senior
Chuck:
I am not sure that your sentence about "lip service" captures what you're trying to say. Is your hesitancy to say "we" or "I love you" that it seems somehow paltry or not a sufficiently exalted/reverential way to address the Lord?
Perhaps you could clarify the precise nature of your concern. Thanks.
Peace,
Alan
RamistThomist
Puritanboard Clerk
I love you, O Lord, my strength. (Psalm 18)
chuckd
Puritan Board Junior
Yes, I think that's what I'm feeling. That is what I was initially trying to say.
Jim's post is another reason why I feel odd saying it. The Lord knows my heart and I feel much more comfortable saying "I don't love you like I should."
AnnaBanana
Puritan Board Freshman
I am overwhelmed with love for the Lord. He saved me, He rescued me, He bore my sins. How can I not express my love for Him? Expressing my love and gratitude for Him is what brings me joy. We love because He first loved us.
mgkortus
Puritan Board Freshman
I believe it is appropriate to say in the same breath both, I love you and
I am convinced that this is exactly what Jesus was drawing out of Peter in his dialogue with Peter recorded in John 21. Asking Peter three times—do you love me—was a reminder that Peter had denied Jesus three times. Peter was painfully aware of his sin and that he did not love Jesus as he should. Nevertheless, he did love Jesus. By his questions, Jesus was drawing this out of Peter.
The same holds true for us. It is very appropriate to say to our God: "I do love you Jehovah, although I confess that I do not love you nearly as much as I should."
I am convinced that this is exactly what Jesus was drawing out of Peter in his dialogue with Peter recorded in John 21. Asking Peter three times—do you love me—was a reminder that Peter had denied Jesus three times. Peter was painfully aware of his sin and that he did not love Jesus as he should. Nevertheless, he did love Jesus. By his questions, Jesus was drawing this out of Peter.
The same holds true for us. It is very appropriate to say to our God: "I do love you Jehovah, although I confess that I do not love you nearly as much as I should."
Alan D. Strange
Puritan Board Senior
@chuckd
Chuck:
As Matt just said, not only is it acceptable to say both but it's fitting. We love Him who first loved us, but not as we should: in fact, His love of us is so much the proper focus that ours seems insignificant comparatively.
There's much more that one can say, but, all that having been said, it still does not mean that we cannot say, "We love you, Lord," or "I love you, gracious God," or like expressions. As has been shown herein the Scriptures not only affirm it but give just that sort of expression to it. And if we don't love Him, we are not his.
But I understand, and appreciate, your reluctance not to qualify the statement "I love you," followed by something like, "but very poorly and falteringly compared to your love for me." The solution is not to refrain from ever saying it but to let it drive us to pray "More love to Thee, O Christ!"
Peace,
Alan
Chuck:
As Matt just said, not only is it acceptable to say both but it's fitting. We love Him who first loved us, but not as we should: in fact, His love of us is so much the proper focus that ours seems insignificant comparatively.
There's much more that one can say, but, all that having been said, it still does not mean that we cannot say, "We love you, Lord," or "I love you, gracious God," or like expressions. As has been shown herein the Scriptures not only affirm it but give just that sort of expression to it. And if we don't love Him, we are not his.
But I understand, and appreciate, your reluctance not to qualify the statement "I love you," followed by something like, "but very poorly and falteringly compared to your love for me." The solution is not to refrain from ever saying it but to let it drive us to pray "More love to Thee, O Christ!"
Peace,
Alan
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chuckd
Puritan Board Junior
Yes, the qualification helps, but doesn't really address my OP as it is really secondary.
I appreciate the scripture references everyone has provided in helping me see that it is indeed appropriate. I feel, though, that there is a disconnect in how David, or other psalmists, meant by "I love you" v. a 21st century modern American. To equate how I say "I love you" to my wife and children to how I say it to God makes it feel, like you said, paltry. That may be my fault and need to meditate more on what I'm saying (and why) when I pray it.
RamistThomist
Puritanboard Clerk
Romans 15: For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction.
If "love" bothers you, just tell God "I chesed you."
If "love" bothers you, just tell God "I chesed you."
Jack K
Puritan Board Doctor
I think it's common for Americans in general (not just those in church) to feel that I love you has become a trite expression and to want it to be accompanied by sincere feelings of love. And of course, we want sincerity in our worship. I remember singing I'd Rather Have Jesus as a child and feeling like a hypocrite because, at that moment, I wasn't really feeling like I'd rather have Jesus than gold, fame, applause, etc.
But I think I was putting too much stock in the idea that worship is about our feelings at the moment. Certainly, worship should come from the heart, and so our feelings are a part of that. But our feelings are fickle. So our worship also flows from faith in Jesus: It expresses who we are in Christ, and who we are becoming. It expresses our true selves, not our momentary-feelings selves.
So, I must sing I love you, Lord because Christ has rescued me from darkness and made me a person who is able to love and serve the living God—imperfectly now, and perfectly one day. And I may sing I'd rather have Jesus because Christ has transformed me into a person whose fundamental desire is no longer for this world, but rather for him. When I worship I do not profess myself; I profess Christ living in me.
But I think I was putting too much stock in the idea that worship is about our feelings at the moment. Certainly, worship should come from the heart, and so our feelings are a part of that. But our feelings are fickle. So our worship also flows from faith in Jesus: It expresses who we are in Christ, and who we are becoming. It expresses our true selves, not our momentary-feelings selves.
So, I must sing I love you, Lord because Christ has rescued me from darkness and made me a person who is able to love and serve the living God—imperfectly now, and perfectly one day. And I may sing I'd rather have Jesus because Christ has transformed me into a person whose fundamental desire is no longer for this world, but rather for him. When I worship I do not profess myself; I profess Christ living in me.
Not in my estimation. We owe Goe the service of the lips as much as with the heart. It's a whole man endeavor.
iainduguid
Puritan Board Junior
Not sure this works grammatically:
1) hesed is a noun not a verb
2) generally hesed is shown to someone who has no claim on you
Are you trying to get at the fact that "love" in Hebrew is not just a feeling but a commitment? That is certainly true, and may help us when we don't feel toward God as we should.
RamistThomist
Puritanboard Clerk
I knew I didn't have the right word. Didn't have my tools with me.
Of course I agree, but what I am saying is that that is not an accurate use of the English phrase "lip service".
Here is the Oxford Dictionary on "pay lip service to": https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/pay_lip_service_to
Reformed Covenanter
Cancelled Commissioner
I perhaps get the sense that the underlying problem here may be with the somewhat girly way phrases like "I love you" tend to come across nowadays. If so, I am not sure what the solution is other than to use as masculine a voice as possible when saying it.
Jonathan R
Puritan Board Freshman
I went through a period of time where I was very uncomfortable singing (prayer set to music, as I understand it) or praying things about my affection or relation to the Lord. It seemed presumptuous and often more reminded me of my failings than seemed to bring out a greater reverence. Yet in the past year or two, I am more comfortable doing so for two reasons - 1) As we grow in the faith, our present and past affection for the Lord are more easily recalled and pronounced with honesty and heart. 2) When we sing and pray corporately, we do so as the body of Christ, holy and beloved. We may state things that we know by scripture are true of genuine Christians throughout all time, regardless of our present circumstances or emotional turmoil.
Some thoughts - hope it helps.
Some thoughts - hope it helps.
I think it depends on the intent and motivation to which it is said.
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