With a sigh the young man knelt to pray before retiring for the evening. With heavy heart he cried "Why Lord? Why did I let you down again? I promised you this morning that today would be different. But here I am again."

Why can we study the Bible, read the powerful promises, pledge to follow God and turn away from our bad habits and yet when temptation comes... well... it just doesn't seem to make any difference? What is missing?

Many have walked down paths of unhappiness and regret, failing to discover the missing ingredient that is keeping them from the kingdom of heaven.

What we are about to discover can change your life.

It is simple. Remember the story in the Bible about Naaman, the captain of the armies of that country called Syria (see 2. Kings chapter 5). As the story unfolds, we find Naaman, stricken with leprosy, seeking healing from a prophet of God in the land of Israel. Naaman was looking for some great manifestation of divine power that would miraculously bring healing. So when the prophet's instructions were "Go and wash in Jordan [river] seven times", Naaman was very angry. The solution was too simple!

Sometimes we, like Naaman, are looking for some great, perhaps complicated solution, but we miss the answer all together. God's ways are simple.

So now let us open the Bible and discover what so many people are missing.

"…And though I have [the gift of] prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity {or love}, I am nothing." - 2 Corinthians 13:2

We may have all knowledge, all faith! But what must we also have? Yes, it is love!

"If ye love me, keep my commandments" - John 14:15

The problem, is many people try to keep God's commandments without love in their hearts towards the maker of those commandments. But true, genuine obedience is only possible when we have a love in our hearts towards God.

"He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." - John 14:21

Those that keep God's commandments are those that love Him!

"For the love of Christ constraineth us..." - 2 Corinthians 5:14

Can we begin to see how important 'love' is?

"Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love [is] the fulfilling of the law." - Romans 13:10

"Love" for God, a simple four letter word, yet missing in the lives of many.

Now imagine we start our day like this.

Our first waking thought is about the supreme Creator and King of our life. We rise to spend some moments in prayer and thoughtful meditation before engaging in the day's activities. As we read of the love, wisdom, mercy, compassion, justice, truthfulness and the many other marvellous character traits of Christ, we admire His character even more than ever before and recognise that all good things come from Him. Then we again, we see the great amount of love Christ had in sacrificing all to walk as a humble man among us. This awakens love in our heart, "We love him, because he first loved us." (John 4:19). We earnestly pray to God, surrendering our hearts and desiring to be led today by our redeemer and friend.

Now with the warm glow of love to God in our hearts, we begin our day, seeking by the power and grace of Christ to follow in His footsteps. Then in the hour of trial, the love of Christ is there to constrain our old sinful nature. It will not be as easy to yield to bad habits, because Love is there tugging at our hearts, pleading with us to not disappoint our saviour.

So, dear reader, let us purpose to have that experience of love with our Redeemer, day by day.

Consider these encouraging words to close:

"Supreme love for God and unselfish love for one another--this is the best gift that our heavenly Father can bestow. This love is not an impulse, but a divine principle, a permanent power. The unconsecrated heart cannot originate or produce it. Only in the heart where Jesus reigns is it found. "We love Him, because He first loved us." In the heart renewed by divine grace, love is the ruling principle of action. It modifies the character, governs the impulses, controls the passions, and ennobles the affections. This love, cherished in the soul, sweetens the life and sheds a refining influence on all around." - Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, pg 551