GOD’S EVERLASTING LOVE

“For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear and worship Him [with awe-filled respect and deepest reverence]. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”  (Psalm 103:11-12 AMP)

The big news of the Bible is not that you love God but that God loves you; not that you can know God but that God already knows you! He tattooed your name on the palm of His hand. His thoughts of you outnumber the sand on the shore. You never leave His mind, escape His sight, flee His thoughts. He sees the worst of you and loves you still. Your sins of tomorrow and failings of the future will not surprise Him; He sees them now. Every day and deed of your life has passed before His eyes and been calculated in His decision. He knows you better than you know you and He has reached His verdict: He loves you still. No discovery will disillusion Him; no rebellion will dissuade Him. He loves you with an everlasting love. 

-- Max Lucado in “Come Thirsty: No Heart Too Dry for His Touch”

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GOD’S INDIVIDUALIZED LOVE

“I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge -- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”  (Ephesians 3:16-19 NIV)

How sad it is to realize that many people never come to Christ because they do not understand that God's love is individualized.  They never come to that sweet, liberating understanding that God calls them to faith as individuals – that He wants them just as they are.

Let me give the good news.  God's family is big enough for you.  God's love is wide enough, and complete enough for you, even if you don't look a bit like your preconceived notion of what a real Christian ought to look like.  You can come as you are as an individual, and God will accept you as an individual and work with you as an individual.  You may trust Him and live your life according to how the Holy Spirit leads you, and God will guide your way.  God loves us as individuals; it was He who created our uniqueness.  Each of us has a unique place and a unique purpose in His family and in His church. 

-- Stephen Arterburn and Jack Felton in “More Jesus, Less Religion” 

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THE NATURE OF GOD’S LOVE

A little girl once prayed, “Dear God, I bet it's very hard for You to love everybody in the whole world. There are only four people in my family, and I can never do it!”

God's love is even more remarkable when you consider what David said in Psalm 139:1–2, “You have searched me, LORD, and You know me. … You perceive my thoughts from afar.” That psalm tells you God is familiar with all your ways. He's never surprised by what words tumble out of your mouth. He never misunderstands you. He knows what rules you walk by. He knows what end you walk toward. You're fully known by Him -- and still deeply loved.

God's great love for you is a love without conditions. He loves you not for being good, clever, or pretty, or for going to church. He loves you. Period.

How do you know God loves you? Because He came and died for you -- and not because you were a good or innocent person. In fact, your actions and attitudes led you to turn your back on God, and yet He loved you anyway. But that's the nature of love. Romans 5:8 tells us, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

God's love is not about who we are but who He is. 

-- Jill Briscoe, from “Telling the Truth” Devotionals

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EXPERIENCING GOD’S LOVE

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  (Romans 8:38-39 NIV)

It seems we do not often see or sense God’s sovereign love exercised on our behalf. Instead, we see ourselves beset with all kinds of calamities that come rolling in upon us. We see ourselves as the victims of “nature’s cruel fate,” of the injustices of other people, and of the adversities that occur with no rational cause.

It is at times like this that we must take our stand by faith on the assurances of God’s love given to us in the Scriptures. We cannot evade one of the basic principles of the Christian life, “We live by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)  Certainly our faith frequently wavers and, just as we may momentarily question the wisdom of God, we will momentarily question the goodness and love of God. We will be like David when he said, “In my alarm I said, ‘I am cut off from Your sight!’” (Psalm 31:22)  That is often our initial reaction when adversity strikes us. We feel cut off from God’s face, from His love and tender care.

But we must also learn to say with David, “Yet You heard my cry for mercy when I called to You for help.” (Psalm 31:22)  God cannot forsake us because we are His children, in blessed union with His Son. We cannot be cut off from His sight. But we can be cut off from the assurance of His love when we allow doubt and unbelief to gain a foothold in our hearts. 

-- Jerry Bridges in “Trusting God”

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RESPONDING TO THIS GLORIOUS GIFT

“I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge -- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”  (Ephesians 3:17b-19 NIV)

Rest in the deep assurance of My unfailing Love. Let your body, mind, and spirit relax in My Presence. Release into My care anything that is troubling you, so that you can focus your full attention on Me. Be awed by the vast dimensions of My Love for you: wider, longer, higher, and deeper than anything you know. Rejoice that this marvelous Love is yours forever!

The best response to this glorious gift is a life steeped in thankfulness. Every time you thank Me, you acknowledge that I am your Lord and Provider. This is the proper stance for a child of God: receiving with thanksgiving. Bring Me the sacrifice of gratitude, and watch to see how much I bless you. 

-- From “Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence” by Sarah Young 

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BECAUSE GOD LOVES US

The Bible is a story of love: God’s love for the world and God’s love for His children. After all, God is love (1 John 4:8). Nowhere do we see the love of God more active than in Jesus. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life.”  (John 3:16)

This famous verse captures the heart of the Bible, the heart of the faith, and truly the heart of God. Jesus came to us because God loves us. That is the supreme example of agape love. God loves us first. (1 John 4:19) God takes the first step. And the birth of Jesus proves that.

In Jesus, we see God taking the first step to touch and shape our lives. In offering His Son to you, God shows you His highest dreams for your life. He wants us to be like Christ. That is the best-version-of-yourself. Just as Jell-O takes the form of the container it is surrounded by, so too are we shaped by what we are surrounded by. God desires to immerse you in Himself, Jesus. In Him you can fulfill God’s dream for your life. 

-- Allen R. Hunt in “Nine Words: A Bible Study to Help You Become the Best-Version-of-Yourself”

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AN UNUSUAL VALENTINE'S CARD

Imagine receiving in the mail a large red envelope for Valentine's Day. You wonder who could have sent such a big card addressed to you personally. You open it and begin to read the printed words, anticipating flowery words of praise. Instead you find words like "your heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked," (Jeremiah 17:9) and "from within, out of your heart come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly" (Mark 7:21-22). 

You look again at the address to make sure it wasn't meant for your neighbor. But no, it has your name on it.

You continue reading the Valentine card. "You don't always do the right things" and "you've fallen short of My hopes for you" (Romans 3:23). You then look across the page and see in big letters the word "BUT." This is followed by "I loved you so much that I gave My one and only Son for you, so that by believing in Him you will not die but have eternal life" (John 3:16). The card is signed, "Love always, God."

An unusual Valentine's Day card? Maybe, but one that announces the greatest love gift of all time. Now all that's left is to accept the gift. 

-- Rev. David T. Wilkinson

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ENGRAVED ON THE COMMUNION TABLE

Recently, I was visiting a congregation that offers an extraordinary deaf ministry. The director introduced me to some of the deaf young people, and then he took me to see an Eagle Scout project that was nearing completion. A young man from the church had made an exquisite full-size communion table, beautifully crafted and finely finished. On the front of the communion table there was a symbol engraved with a cross background. On the cross, where you might expect to see the body of Christ in a Catholic Church or a Cross and Flame logo in a United Methodist Church, there was a carving of a hand showing the sign language expression for “I love you.”  

How do you translate the meaning of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection?  How do you translate the meaning of the cross?  Translators express the mind, heart, and will of one person to another across boundaries.  I cannot think of a better translation than the one found in the engraving on the communion table:  “I love you.”   That’s what Jesus came to tell us. That’s what was on the heart and mind of God in sending him.  That’s the story we continue to translate and re-translate in every generation through scripture, worship, service, sacrament, and teaching.  Through the cross, God says, “I love you.” 

-- U.M. Bishop Robert Schnase, excerpted from his Five Practices blog   

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BECAUSE GOD LOVES ME

(Based on 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 and John 3:16)

Because God loves me, He is slow to lose patience with me.

Because God loves me, He takes the circumstances of my life and uses them in a constructive way for my growth.

Because God loves me, He is for me. He wants to see me mature and develop in His love.

Because God loves me, He does not send down His wrath on every little mistake I make, of which there are many.

Because God loves me, He does not keep score of all my sins and then beat me over the head with them whenever He gets the chance.

Because God loves me, He is deeply grieved when I do not walk in the ways that please Him because He sees this as evidence that I don't trust Him and love Him as I should.

Because God loves me, He keeps on trusting me when at times I don't even trust myself.

Because God loves me, He never says there is no hope for me; rather, He patiently works with me, loves me, and disciplines me in such a way that it is hard for me to understand the depth of His concern for me.

Because God loves me, He never forsakes me even though many of my friends might.

Because God loves me, He stands with me when I have reached the rock bottom of despair, when I see the real me and compare that with His righteousness, holiness, beauty, and love. It is a moment like this that I can really believe that God loves ME.

Because God loves me, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, and that believing in Him I will have eternal life with the God who loves me.

Yes, the greatest of all gifts is God's perfect love given to us in His Son!

-- Dr. Dick Dickinson, Inter-Community Counseling Center, Long Beach, California

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NO IF ABOUT IT

Jesus said, “The Father Himself loves you because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from God.”  (John 16:27)

Who’s giving you a rough time because you’re trusting God, saying things like, “If God really loved you, He would heal you”? Or, “If God really loved you, He wouldn’t have allowed you to lose your job”? Or, “If God really loved you, He would bring your spouse back”?

It’s wicked for others to make you doubt God’s love. The proof of His love is the cross. Romans 5:8 says, “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (NKJV).

The cruelest of the taunts hurled at Jesus on the cross was surely the suggestion that included the words “if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One” (Luke 23:35, italics mine). In other words, if God really loved Jesus, He wouldn’t have allowed His Son to be in that situation.

But even in the blackness of the hate around the cross, the love of God broke through like the rays of the sun! If God really loved you? There’s no if about it. God loves you.

God loves you! 

-- Anne Graham Lotz in “Fixing My Eyes on Jesus: Daily Moments in His Word”

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GOD’S PERFECT LOVE

“Perfect love expels all fear.” (1 John 4:18) Couldn’t you use some fear expulsion? We can relate to the story of Louis Armstrong. The famous trumpeter grew up in rural Louisiana in the early 1900s. When he was a young boy, his Aunt Haddie often sent him to the creek for water. On one occasion, as he leaned over to fill his bucket, an alligator so scared the youngster that he dropped the pail and ran. His aunt told him to go back and get the water. “That alligator,” she assured, “is just as scared of you as you are of it.”

“If that’s the case,” he answered, “then the creek water ain’t fit to drink.”

Alligators lurk in our creeks, too. And when we see them, we react. We fear rejection, so we follow the crowd. We fear not fitting in, so we take the drugs. For fear of standing out, we wear what everyone else wears. For fear of blending in, we wear what no one else wears. For fear of sleeping alone, we sleep with anyone. For fear of not being loved, we search for love in all the wrong places.

But God flushes those fears. Those saturated in God’s love don’t sell out to win the love of others. They don’t even sell out to win the love of God.

Do you think you need to? Do you think, If I cuss less, pray more, drink less, study more… If I try harder, God will love me more? Sniff and smell Satan’s stench behind those words. We all need improvement, but we don’t need to woo God’s love. We change because we already have God’s love. God’s perfect love. 

-- Max Lucado in “Come Thirsty: No Heart Too Dry for His Touch”

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RELYING ON GOD’S LOVE

"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us." (1 John 4:16, NIV)

When it comes right down to it, this is the bottom line, the bedrock foundation for our faith, and the explanation of the peace we have about the present and the future. Knowing and relying on God's love for us is our duty and our joy in all circumstances, and it's the best and only answer to any situation we run up against. It allows us to look beyond the circumstances to see (or simply trust in) God's hand working in our lives...

Know God's love. Rely on it. That's all He asks us to do.

-- Laura Hepker, Christianity Online

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MEASURED GRACE

“[God] gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’”  (James 4:6 NLT) 

[God] supplies perfectly measured grace to meet [our needs]. For daily needs there is daily grace; for sudden needs, sudden grace; for overwhelming need, overwhelming grace. God's grace is given wonderfully, but not wastefully; freely but not foolishly; bountifully but not blindly.

-- John Blanchard in “Truth for Life: A Devotional Commentary on the Epistle of James”

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THE BREADTH OF GOD’S LOVE

“That you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,  and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge…”  (Ephesians 3:17b-19a ESV)

The dimensions and depths of God’s grace are incalculable. The capacity and proportions of His promises are innumerable. The extent and magnitude of His wisdom is immeasurable. His yearnings and tender love towards us is unceasing. His love is without bars, barricades or blockages, and His love is all-embracing and all-encompassing.

His love is without race or class or creed or national barriers… for He loved the Syrophonecian woman and the Roman centurion without prejudice. His love is without age or popularity… or financial or cultural barriers. He loves both old and young, both rich and poor, both sinner and saint.

His love is even without a pride barrier, for He knelt to wash the feet of His prideful disciples, and He loved the prideful, self-satisfied, rich young ruler. He loves all without discrimination or bigotry, intolerance or favoritism… and the love of Christ continues to stretch to the breadth of understanding. 

-- From an article entitled “The Breadth of God’s Superlative Love” at knowing-jesus.com

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