What Motivates Us

I find it fascinating to listen to people and find out what motivates them. For some, it's money. For others, it's doing the right thing. And for still others, it's "living the good life," as if I knew what that all means. To me, if I'm motivated to do something, then I will do that. Motiviation for a cause, for example, will determine people's actions.

So what motivates us in our life with God? Is it trying to please Him? For some Christians, that might work, for a while. Yet we either already knew or we find out while we're trying to please God, is that we will fail. It's not that God is arbitrary, or even that He sets so lofty standards. It is because we get tired trying. Our motivation begins to wane because it is almost impossible to please God by means of our actions. So what motivates us? It is God's love for us. In Psalm 30, King David writes about the source of our motivation to serve God, please God, and worship God. God so loves us that He saves us, even when we sin and fall. What motivates us is God's love in Jesus Christ's life for us. Jesus' life of perfect obedience to the will of God. Jesus is more than an example of holy living. He is holy living. He "lived himself" right to the cross. His death upon the cross for the forgiveness of our sins is a great motivator for our life, worship, and love of God. Jesus' resurrection gives us great encouragement, peace, desire, and strength to live everyday as new people. Finally, Jesus' ascension into heaven moves us because we know that there is a place in heaven waiting for us.

We love God and serve God because of His great grace given to us by Jesus. Jesus is our great motivator.