When we ration our love for God, we set boundaries as to what we will and won’t do to express our devotion to him: “It’s okay to clap our hands in church—a little.” Or, “Lifting one’s hands is nice, but let’s not go too far.”

We’re afraid…
of what others might think… and of what God might do if given free rein. What if He brings us to tears, or prompts us to dance or sing a solo or lift our hands when no one else is lifting theirs? What if He causes us to look foolish?

We even use God’s own Word to justify our lack of passion: “Everything must be done decently and in order!” Meanwhile, we tolerate and even encourage those who are overcome with emotion in other situations. We smile as a lovesick friend sheds tears of joy while talking about her sweetheart; we yell and clap when our football team wins; we bounce like pogo sticks and dance like teenagers at a concert. But on Sunday, we stand like pillars of salt in the presence of GOD. What is wrong with this picture?

God’s love knows no boundaries. He doesn’t ration His love for us. “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son.” (John 3:16). How dare we draw boundaries with Him? What would happen if we determined that, when it came to loving God, we would always err on the side of excess? Granted, moderation is a virtue in regard to certain things, such as sugar and television and Facebook, but it has no place in your love life with God. Let’s top saying, “Lord, You can go this far, but no further. I give You this much, but no more.”