#TheseBootsWereMadeForWalking

Every time a catalog arrives in the mail, I pour over the shoe pages. I really don't need any shoes, I just love shoes. My husband managed a shoe store and got me hooked on shoes. I didn't need much encouragement. I love baskets and handbags and bracelets and elephants. Its funny how we use the word 'love'. Our English language is rather limited with regards to the word 'love' and we use it so casually. Alexander The Great who was born about 350 years before Jesus saw the need for a language so specific that his generals would understand exactly what he meant when giving orders, that he created Koine Greek . This language had five words for love and when someone said they loved you they could use more than one word to be specific and you would understand if they considered you a friend or a lover.

We had Wednesday night prayer meetings at our church and those attending would be on their knees praying. I remember one gentleman saying in his prayer, "I love you Lord." and it just struck me how odd it was to say that to God. After all, God must know that and it seemed superfluous to me. Being so practical, I considered it wasting words, but I couldn't get it out of my mind. The thought came that it must have sounded good to God, since I enjoy hearing someone say that to me and He must feel that way, also. God has feelings. He is not just a power, He is a being. He loves and desires that we love Him, so saying 'I love you' to God is a good thing. In fact, when Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment of all the commandments was, He replied, "To love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind." Saying it is one thing and meaning it is quite another. Guys say that to gals all the time, when they mean I desire you and want you to make me happy and she might think a bit different, like he cares for me and wants to make me happy.

Jesus clarified the matter when He expounded on the thought by saying, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." We can say 'I love you, Lord' but if we really mean it, we will follow through and do it. If we really love Him we will want to make Him happy and we will make every effort to discover His priorities and make them our priorities. This is true love and not the kind that loves shoes.