How to love God?

[arunangelo]

God is love. Therefore, to love God. is to make love, the only desire of our heart. Since, to love, is a choice; to love God is a choice. To love Him we must know Him and have true faith in Him. When we have true faith in Him, we will imitate Him. We will, therefore, passionately desire to empty our self completely and unconditionally in order to serve others. When we care for others without any string attached, it is out of pure love. Therefore, when we help others out of pure love it is done cheerfully; it is free of resentment; and it is untiring. In addition, when we help others out of love for God, the opportunity to help others itself is a reward to us; because to help others is our delight and heart’s desire. This is what God desires from us.

 

[DNB]

God is love. Therefore, to love God. is to make love, the only desire of our heart. Since, to love, is a choice; to love God is a choice. To love Him we must know Him and have true faith in Him. When we have true faith in Him, we will imitate Him. We will, therefore, passionately desire to empty our self completely and unconditionally in order to serve others. When we care for others without any string attached, it is out of pure love. Therefore, when we help others out of pure love it is done cheerfully; it is free of resentment; and it is untiring. In addition, when we help others out of love for God, the opportunity to help others itself is a reward to us; because to help others is our delight and heart’s desire. This is what God desires from us.

Yes arunangelo, very well said. Especially the adage, 'to know God, is to love God'. I like this part because it offers a means on how to achieve a love for God, and all that comes with it (as you mentioned). That is, reading the Bible, commentaries, study groups, etc... learning as much as one can about God, his attributes, his will, his Word, should eventually elicit a love for him, within you. I don't care for mystical exercises too much (meditation, reciting pre-written prayers, ...), as they can be much too subjective and susceptible to unbridled emotions and fantasies.
Read God's Word, try to understand it in a manner that always brings wisdom and Glory to Him. And invariably, the pure heart will come to love him.