God’s love can not be compared or traced to the kind of love that humans may have for one another (or their things). God’s love is supernatural and out of this world, no human could ever truly comprehend it. It’s also important to note that God’s love isn't simply a feeling, it’s a force that's powerful enough to drive out fear, hate, and evil. God’s love is also not provoked; it's a natural thing for Him to love because He is love. Lastly, God’s love preserves His children; it has no affiliation with destruction or darkness.
There are several misconceptions about the love of God. Sometimes we minimize God’s love to something generic or familiar. While other times we see ourselves as indentured servants instead of as children of God. People who God has redeemed as worthy, chosen, and loved. I believe that this message is very important because the fact that we are loved by God is a major part of our identity. It defines the very essence of our true worth, and the standard that we’ve been called to.
Many people are busily misidentifying themselves and living lives that are not consistent with the values of God; because they do not understand that there is more. As we speak, people are making life-altering decisions based on a false narrative of who God is. Thinking that He is hateful and discriminating when He is in fact, love.
I'm going to cover some topics that are very key to understanding how God shows His love for us.
Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[b] Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 6:16-23
Redemption
God redeemed us from sin, shame, and bondage. Prior to belonging to Christ, we were slaves to sin. Meaning that we had no authority whatsoever, and we had no ability to please God or be anything but sinners. But under this new covenant, we have become slaves of righteousness and we are now obligated to live pure and righteous lives. As we live right and holy God will continue to strengthen us along our journey. Knowing that God has redeemed your identity will cause you to desire to live a holy life. The enemy would love for you and me to consider ourselves rejected, instead of redeemed. But God’s great love led Him to pay the ultimate sacrifice.
Patience
Notice that God never gives up on people? Instead, He gives chance after chance and continues to pursue us despite our mess. Not because He tolerates sin (because He doesn't) but because He is patient with us. He longs for the day when His children will be saved, and He will stop at nothing to see that happen. In the Bible, we are often referred to as sheep, and God is a good shepherd. Because are we hard to lead! If you know anything about sheep then you know that they are helpless, defenseless, gullible, have little discernment, easily influenced, and not the brightest animals on the planet. Needless to say, we need to be led, however, we are not the easiest to lead. So the fact that the creator of the universe finds it in Him to forgive us, chase us down, and love us says a lot. I would say that God has better things to do than spend His time leading sheep, but He values us so much that it’s worth it to Him. He could be doing anything else, but He desires to have us as His flock. God desires communion and relationship with us not because He needs it, but because He wants to be with us, not just here on earth but forever.
When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord.” So he married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. The Lord said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.” - Hosea 1:1-3
So I bought her for fifteen shekels[a] of silver and about a homer and a lethek[b] of barley. Then I told her, “You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will behave the same way toward you.” - Hosea 3:1-3
Faithful
Even when we are not faithful, God is! I’m reminded of Hosea. He took on a wife who had a terrible reputation. She was not fit to be any man's wife based on her reputation. But Hosea married her and treated her well knowing that she would not be faithful. Her actions led her to become a slave and instead of turning His back on her, Hosea bought her back. He could’ve gotten a new wife had he had grounds for it. But instead, he deemed her as worthy and continued to do right by her despite her past, and actions towards him. The Lord had Hosea choose his wife as a prophetic declaration of How God loves His bride, the church. God selflessly gives and loves His bride despite her bad choices. Not because her actions are justified or o.k, but because He is committed and loves her. The concept of marrying a woman who you know will be unfaithful seems so wild on paper, but we are Hosea’s wife! We have turned our backs on God at one point or another, and have made terrible choices that have offended Him. If that’s not enough, the blood of Jesus is on our hands! We are the reason why He died. Yet instead of holding us as guilty for his death, we are considered free with His blood, clean with His blood! God is faithful! He continues to stand by us and help us even when we do the silliest of things. Because He loves us. Of course, that is no license to sin! But it is a reflection of how He feels about us. We are truly woven in His chest.
He Listens
Because God loves you He listens, you may not always get the answers to your problems or understand life and others' mistakes. But God does listen, in fact, He listens to you so that He can heal you, shape you, and care for you! He relies on your communication not so He can work, because He’s capable of working even without your request or input. But for collaboration, God wants to have a relationship with you. It's just that simple. What type of relationship can fully function without communication? God listened to Hannah as she cried out for a son. She felt worthless like she wasn't enough, and she was probably emotionally exhausted. But she knew that she had a father in Heaven who cared enough to listen, and she knew that He would make a way for her. As you pray, remember that God remembers you! He chose you in the very beginning, of course, He cares about what you have to say. He wants to embrace and love you, show you that He cares by answering your prayers. Others may leave you high and dry but God is always on the other line, waiting to listen.
Boundaries
Why do homes have walls, cars have doors, and countries have borders? It’s quite simple actually, because boundaries matter. They provide stability, protection, and clear guidelines, without them we don't know which way is up, down, or the in’s and out’s of anything. God set’s up boundaries with commandments and convictions to keep us both pure and safe. He wants us to live our lives within boundaries so that we can effectively glorify and represent Him. God designs boundaries because He loves us, He created us to look like Him, therefore He wants to preserve us and make us more like Him. Many hear of the various boundaries in Christianity and ultimately write them off because they find them to be restricting and unnecessary. However, we must remember the importance of boundaries. Because as we remember the reasons for the boundaries, and that they were founded on God’s care for us; then we become more passionate about them. The way a parent may prevent their small child from sticking their finger in a wall socket or from putting a small coin in their mouth. Is the same way that God is trying to protect us as He maps out boundaries; because at the end of the day He is our father. The last thing that He wants to see us do is live a life that He has called and paved us out of! Don't stumble in the ways of the world!
If you love me, keep my commands. - John 14:15
Loving Him back
Although God freely loves us, when we say that we love Him back we must reciprocate it by following His commandments; and sharing His love and the message of His love with others. God’s love isn't passive towards us, so our love must not be passive towards Him. We are called to be obedient to the word of God, in fact, obedience is fellowship with God outside of prayer and worship. If we truly want to walk with God, receive His love, and demonstrate to others then we must be obedient to His word. God’s love compelled Him to give His life, our love for Him compels us to live for Him. So let’s not stray from sharing the love of God because we know that people will battle with the message. Instead let’s share it knowing that it’s a message of truth, hope, and restoration.
Message from Blessing Finesse
Written by Blessing Finesse
コメント