Love God and Do What You Will

Last year I was given a biography on Led Zeppelin as a Christmas gift. They are my favorite band and the reason why I picked up the guitar - so I could learn to play like Jimmy Page. (I’m still a long way from that skill level) The book was well written and a fascinating read, especially on the origins of how the band came together and especially on Jimmy Page’s formation as a musician. You see his love for the guitar and the hours and hours of practice he invested into his craft.

I wish we in the Church could learn from such skilled people in the world, to apply the same discipline in our crafts for God’s glory.

The book becomes more difficult to read as they become rock stars and all the debauchery that came from that.  As someone working to be a fully devoted follower of Christ, I at times wrestle with my love for their music versus their life-styles and influences. Sometimes to the resolve that I’ll actually pray for the members of the band and their salvation, especially Jimmy Page. If you know his history or read the book, you know he was big into the occult and a disciple of Alastair Crowley, whose motto was, “Do what thou wilt.”

Do whatever you want. As I write those words I can feel the evil of them, and if that phrase rubs you the wrong way and strikes you as satanic, you are absolutely right. Praise God if those words bring a disturbance to your soul. Unfortunately, I think they have become the accepted words of culture, “do whatever you want” with the added “as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone.” Whatever that means.

Here is what came to mind as I read those words. St. Augustine famously said, “Love God and do what you will.” It’s an incredibly subtle distinction. Add only two words to the statement and it turns a completely evil thought into a godly thought. The opposite is true though, subtract “love God” from Augustine’s quote and a godly thought becomes an evil thought. It is a reminder that evil can only corrupt, it cannot create. Evil is always less than or falling away from the good.

Love God and it opens you up to incredible freedom.

Love God and there are so many ways to serve him and bring his glory.

Love God and it opens up a whole bunch of opportunities.

In his book The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind, Bill Johnson writes, “Once we come into the Kingdom, the straight and narrow road Jesus talked about becomes broad and big. The Kingdom is bigger on the inside than it appears on the outside.”

When we learn to love God for who he is, we do see that it brings true freedom. As a parent or church worker or volunteer, it is a reminder that we have the responsibility of helping people come to know God so they can love him. We draw people into the love of God by helping them know about his beauty, his truth and his goodness. We are to help people see that true freedom comes from loving God first and then doing what we want to do because when we love God we will always do what He wills.

Rooting for you,
Tom