God's love.

 

Just take a minute. Don't read on. Let those two words sink in. Let them hit you.

(Quick disclaimer: What you are about to read is in no way an exhaustive thought process on God's love, nor is it going to leave you with a complete understanding of God. Why? Because this devo is quite short and no one will truly ever understand God's love. Let's jump in...)

The idea that God would love us humans unconditionally does not add up. We know God is just (Is 30:18). We know that God cannot be in the presence of sin (Mt 27:46) and that He utterly despises it (Rm 12:9). We also know that we are sinful (Eph 2:1). It would follow logically that God would want nothing to do with us, right? Right.

Then why does He love us? Why would He want to put Himself in the company of people so sickeningly sinful? It is because He is love (I Jn 4:16). He embodies something that is beyond what we can imagine. We don't, nor will we ever on this earth, have a full understanding of what God's love is. We can only partially understand it through what He has done for us. But it is such an amazing and awe-striking subject that we must ponder it. But even more we must realize it often so that we can love others. Now I know this probably all sounds like stuff that you have heard before. And you probably have, which is great. But I think a lot of us have forgotten (I know I have!) what it means that He loves us for many different reasons. So I just want to bring these truths back to the forefront of our minds.

His love really is something I know I have struggled to understand (obviously) and to see in my own life. It's not because it was not there but because of my sin, selfishness, and incorrect view of His love. I have wrongly thought that He cannot love me. I mean why would he love someone so useless as myself. I mean I have nothing to offer Him. (Quick note, I think we all must come to a place where we come before God and say I know there is nothing I can do to be loved by you nor am I worthy of your love. That is not what I am referring to though.) What I am is saying is that in my life there have been/are times that I say there is no way you can love me God. I am just too sinful. But we must realize that God's love cannot be limited. It is limitless and unconditional. He loves me when I hate, lie, steal, back stab, swear, think lustful thoughts, etc. I cannot even begin to understand that. It blows my mind. I hope though as you think about His love you'll realize just how awesome it is.

The fact that He would love a race so messed up and perverted is beyond words. And this is something I think we need to come back to. His love is just that great. We need to thank Him, praise Him, and exalt Him because of His love. We also must realize that love we receive from humans, no matter how bad or good, pales in comparison to His love. I know that I have looked at His love through love or a lack of it that I have received from people. That is a dangerous thing. It then causes me to have a skewed view of God's love. You must be weary of that. I think that is often what causes people to have an incorrect/insufficient view of His love. So a few things to remember and meditate on:

God is love.

He loves you, no matter what. (Yes, NO MATTER what you do.)

He wants you to know that you are loved!

Then, you must love others because you have been loved.

"God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in Him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear..." (I John 4:16b-18)

 

Because I am loved,
Matt

P. S. If you want to read some great stuff on love go to I John and read the 4th chapter.