For God So Loved

 

“The person who does not love does not know God because God is love.”  1 John 4:8

“For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:16

 What does the love of God mean to me? It is my anchor, that peace and surety in the storms of life. It cannot change, cannot be taken, cannot be earned. It is my joy! I delight in the love my Heavenly Father has for me. It gives me peace, hope, satisfaction. It is my inspiration. If God could so perfectly love me like He does, how should I love my fellow man?

 God’s love is an absolute certainty. It is not just what He does, it is who He is. God loves us perfectly. There is no selfishness or ulterior motive in it. He does not love us for what we do, nothing we could do could ever earn His love. He does not love us for what we give Him, again, His love cannot be bought. Contrarily, nothing we could ever do could ever negate His love for us. We can’t mess it up because it’s not up to us. No matter how badly we sin, how far we fall, what awful things we think, say or do, God will still love us. That’s because His love is based on who He is, not who we are. God is love. We can rest in this truth and know that it is completely and forever real.

 In God’s love, I am set free. I am filled with joy. I can rest in it in complete peace. No matter my situation in mind or body, I can be happy knowing God’s love for me. Whatever challenges I face, when I turn to face my God I am bathed in His love and I know it will be ok. I know that He is always with me and will never leave me alone. There is no greater or more perfect love than we find in Him. While we long for human love and affection, it will always be flawed, but God’s love will always be solid, true and real.

 If God loves us like this, how should we love each other? Our love for our spouse, our children, our parents, our siblings, our friends, even those we happen upon in our travels should reflect this perfect love of God. With some, it is easy. To love our newborn child takes little effort. Even when they’ve soiled their diaper, our hearts are moved with compassionate care for them. To love our teenager is sometimes another matter entirely! When they are slamming doors and hollering that you are the worst parent in the world and they hate you, that is when you have the opportunity to reflect the love of God to them. It is then that we show them that our love is not based on what they give us or how they treat us, but it is based on who they are to us. They are our precious child. That baby we cuddled. That toddler we read to. The adult whose affection we will revel in. That child is an extension of our heart in this world. No matter what they say or do, we will love them anyways.

Here’s the Thing: It is hard for us to understand that God’s love is perfect because ours isn’t. But thankfully, our understanding doesn’t change the truth of who God is and how He feels about us. God is love, and His love is forever, unchanging, eternal. He loves us so much that He wants the best for us, even if it is hard and it will hurt. Like when He gave His Son for people who were calling for His murder, who were gambling over his clothing, who shouted taunts at Him – challenging Him to prove His deity by coming down from the cross. It is that love that meets me where I’m at, but doesn’t let me stay there. That is God’s love for me, and for you.

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