"I love Jesus."
"I'm in love with Jesus."
There doesn't seem to be much of a difference between these two phrases, right? They both include the word "love." Yet, one word that seems to be so insignificant, makes a huge difference in these phrases. The word is "in."
What makes the word "in" so important in the phrase, "I'm in love with Jesus?" You can love Jesus-- it's what you were created to do. However, Jesus expects you to develop a relationship with Him. In order to maintain a relationship with someone, you have to be IN it. You can't be out of it. It involves you connecting with the other person and getting to know one another on a deeper level. Two people are involved in a relationship. You can't spell involved without "in."
People tend to confuse the terms "love" and "in love." Christians claim to love Jesus but don't put any effort into the relationship. To establish a true, genuine relationship with Jesus, you must sacrifice your personal desires for a greater purpose. You have to dive into His Word and talk to Him daily, not just on Sunday's.
Most people tend to bounce back to worldly relationships when they hear the term "in love." There is a difference between being in love with a human being and being in love with Jesus. To be "in love" with Jesus is to realize that He died on the cross for YOU and paid the ultimate price.
He proved that He not only loves you but that He is also completely in love with you. Jesus' love and human love aren't even remotely the same. Jesus' love is supernatural and everlasting, whereas human love is flawed and temporary.
If Jesus sacrificed Himself on the cross for us, should you not sacrifice your life for Him as well? A true act of being in love with Jesus is full surrender. Full surrender is not just admitting that you're a sinner and accepting Jesus as your Savior-- full surrender includes a complete change in lifestyle.
Many times when you're in love with someone, you adapt to the way he or she acts or talks. This same concept should apply when it comes to Jesus. We need to have an attitude like Jesus and talk as if He's right beside us.
Many Christians deal with unwanted anger in their hearts. The reason behind it is this: they may have accepted Jesus as their Savior, but their lifestyle hasn't changed. If you continue to sow the same negative seeds, you will continue to reap the same negative results. Having a Christ-like attitude causes the unwanted anger to fade away.
Jesus can and will deliver light to the darkness the world has placed in this society's hearts if you allow Him. That's the key to all of this. If you allow yourself to be completely and unconditionally in love with Him, you will bear His fruit and feed it to this world. So, ask yourself this question: Are you in love with Jesus, or do you just simply love Him?
