God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved — and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:4-6).

There is a chemistry of the heart that is activated when we grasp the magnitude of God’s love for us. It’s that love that causes us to desire Him, and it’s that desire that makes us to want to walk with Him.

What sparks that “want to?” It’s not faith in what we do, but in what Christ has done on our behalf.

The great Puritan writer John Bunyan was accused of encouraging disobedience by talking too much about the assurance of God’s love. Accusers said, “If you keep assuring people of God’s love, they will do whatever they want.”

Bunyan wisely replied, “No. If we keep assuring God’s people of God’s love, they’ll do what He wants.”

We love because God first loved us (1 Jn. 4:19), and such love is the chemistry of the Spirit that compels us to live for God (Jn. 14:15). We need not fear that grace will always lead to license. The grace that stirs in the hearts of God’s people will change their “want to” into what He wants!

Prayer: Father, your Word tells us that we love You because You first loved us. May your love stir in my heart so much that I want to walk with You and to live the kind of life that You want.