What Does it Mean to “Love God”?
Unpacking one of the more confusing biblical directives
Have you been as confused as I have about what “loving God” means? If God were a puppy, I’d get it. Who doesn’t love puppies?! Or if God were an ice cream cone. Seriously! Who doesn’t LOVE ice cream cones?! But God, for the longest time, seemed more like a puff of smoke to me. (quick aside — I hear him laughing — not kidding!). I mean, how do you love a puff of smoke? Unless, of course, it’s got that familiar sweet scent! haha But even then, it doesn’t last. Here one moment, gone the next. And that’s exactly how I felt about my invisible, ethereal God. I just couldn’t catch him and hang on to him, let alone love him. Or her.
Fortunately, Swedenborg learned something about this and shared it in his book, “Heaven and Hell,” referring to “God” as “the Lord,” as was his custom.
“There are two quite distinguishable loves in heaven — love for the Lord and love for our neighbor. Love for the Lord is characteristic of the third or central heaven, while love for our neighbor is characteristic of the second or intermediate heaven. Both come from the Lord, and each one makes a heaven.
In heaven’s light, it is easy to see how these two loves differ and how they unite, but this can be seen only dimly in our world. In heaven, “loving the Lord” does not mean loving him for the image he projects but loving the good that comes from him. Loving the good is intending and doing it from love. Further, “loving one’s neighbor” does not mean loving companions for the images they project but loving the truth that comes from the Word. Loving the truth is intending and doing it.”
Heaven and Hell §15
There’s plenty we could unpack here, but let’s focus on this one thought.
“…”loving the Lord” does not mean loving him for the image he projects but loving the good that comes from him. Loving the good is intending and doing it from love.”
Let’s take these assertions in order.
“…“loving the Lord” does not mean loving him for the image he projects…”
It appears that Swedenborg was shown something I could relate to in my quest to grasp the God “thing” — what I had strived to 1) imagine, 2) relate to, and then 3) love. His word choice, “image,” is key. What image of God was I trying to see in my mind? What image had I been conditioned to see that was supposed to move me emotionally? My image conditioning was mostly positive, but there are many who are conditioned to see the vengeful, angry, punishing God of the Old Testament.
Staying with a human form for simplicity, what appeals to you aesthetically? A handsome, viral, “man” God? Perhaps Charlton Heston! It worked for Hollywood Moses. Or perhaps a strong, gorgeous, and feminine, “woman” God? Maybe Beyonce? Take your pick. Any image that evokes warm, fuzzy love feelings. Going down this path is like walking versions of God down a runway at a fashion show until one appeals to our senses enough to fall in love and buy the outfit.
This seems to be Swedenborg’s point. Sensory appeal has nothing to do with “loving the Lord.” So he goes on to say what it does mean.
“…“loving the Lord” [means] …loving the good that comes from him.”
There it is. The image, meaning “God the object,” is not the point. Even the “person” of God, or perhaps more clearly, the “personification of God,” is not the point. What is the point is what flows from God (the Lord) which is good, and only good, and only can be good.
So loving God, loving the Lord, is loving the good that comes from him, which is ALL that comes from him, and which must be good. If it isn’t good, and doesn’t come from love, it’s not from God. Swedenborg drives this home with this punctuating statement.
“…Loving the good is intending and doing it from love.”
Since Swedenborg equates this with loving God, he’s clearly saying that loving God requires active engagement in two areas.
“…Loving the good is intending it from love,
intending to do good from love (intention from the heart)
AND THEN
actually doing that good from love (action from the heart)
We aren’t instructed to love God the way we love a puppy. We’re instructed to love God by loving others the way God loves. Fully. With our true intentions flowing from our heart from love. With actions that come forth, flowing from the heart from love. To be willing to allow that good to flow into and through us. When that happens, we are loving God.
That, according to Swedenborg, is what it means to “Love God.”
If you’d like to take a deeper dive, here’s the OffTheLeftEye episode that inspired this post.
You can also download the referenced text from Heaven and Hell here without cost.
