Tag Archives: God’s love

December 12

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Acts 28:11-31; Ephesians 1:1-3:21

The mystery of Christ “… is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus”. (Acts 3:4,6) Verses like these thrill me. And there are many verses that affirm that truth. God, who chose the Jewish people to reveal Himself to the Old Testament world and to be the family into which Christ was born, has chosen me to reveal Himself to my world in 2013. 

I was, by nature, an object of God’s wrath. “But because of his great love for (me), God, who is rich in mercy, made (me) alive with Christ even when (I was) dead in transgressions – it is by grace (I) have been saved”. (2:4-5)

Why does God save us? Read on in verses 6&7. “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”

We who know Christ are chosen to continue the work of showing unsaved people who God is, what Christ has done for mankind, and the incomparable riches that come from knowing Him as Savior and Lord. We are like one body doing a job. And it doesn’t matter if you are Jewish born or not. You are a member of the body if you you know Jesus.

What kind of love brought Jesus into this world? How much love did it take for him to leave heaven and put on flesh and blood, to walk with men and women for 33 years, to be loved and hated, accepted and rejected. And to die a horrible death in order for all of us to have the opportunity to know him. Paul prayed that we would be rooted and established in that love and 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.” (3:17-19)

That’s a love worth knowing. And it’s a love worth sharing.

Jesus, thank you for allowing me to be a part of your great work. Thank you for your grace that enables me to stand before you no longer an object of your wrath. Thank you for bringing me into your body and may I be your hands and feet, your arms and your voice to introduce someone to you today. May I know that love Paul talked about and may others see that love in me. It’s an honor to serve you today. Lord.

October 25

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Mark 10:23-31; Luke 18:24-30; Matthew 20:1-16; John 10:22-11:16

“With God all things are possible.” Have you ever heard that before? It’s been used as a mantra for some health and wealth theologies and the power of positive thinking. Do these words suggest that God can give us what we want if we believe as some have claimed? Do these words pertain to winning football games, defeating cancer, getting a promotion at work, or getting that special person to fall in love with you?

In the context of Scripture, Jesus is talking about the salvation of souls. He just got done telling his disciples that it is really hard for rich people to go to heaven. Remember, the rich young ruler just walked away from him when Jesus told him he needed to give away his wealth. The disciples asked him, “Who then can be saved?” to which Jesus replied: “…all things are possible with God.”

What God wants us to know is that no one is too lost to find forgiveness. God is able to save the vilest offender who truly believes.

Maybe you are reading this today and you have not accepted God’s grace for yourself. Maybe you think you’ve gone too far, done too many bad things, hurt too many people to have God love you. Maybe you think you don’t deserve God’s forgiveness and, in that you are exactly right. But Jesus is saying to you today that he is able to save even you.

Has God laid on your heart the name of someone who seems so far from him it’s unlikely he or she will ever believe? Don’t give up. God hasn’t. Pray. Reach out to that person. WIth God, it is possible that that soul will come to him.

Dear God, I thank you that Jesus died for all of mankind. I thank you that there is no one living who can’t come to you in Jesus’ name and receive forgiveness for a multitude of sin. I pray that your children will be faithful to pray, that we will allow you to use us to draw all people to you. I pray that we won’t give up praying for that loved one who so openly is rejecting you right now. Thank you for reminding us that even that dear one isn’t too tough for you. With you it is possible that he or she will accept you as their Savior.

October 20

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Luke 12:22-13:17, !3:22-14:24

Sometimes I think God gets a bad rap. I read a blog the other day questioning why God would stand by and watch people destroy the earth. God gets blamed when someone shoots up a mall or when a loved one gets cancer. Many of those same people who point an angry finger at God when bad things happen neglect to acknowledge him in good times.

So what is God’s reaction to the human race? Read what he said about Jerusalem in Luke 13:34. Hear in his voice the pain of a father who watches a son turn his back and walk away.

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.”

That’s what God thinks about us. He is not up there, angrily trying to get even with those who reject him. His heart is broken. He longs to take the worst of us and gather us into his arms. Jesus, in Luke 12:49-50 tells us that going to the cross is something he was anxious to do. He was eager to complete that work so that God could draw us to himself like a hen gathers her chicks.

But, Jesus tells us, we were not willing.

The state of the world is on us. And hear me when I say, dear Christian, rampant sin is on us, too. Unsaved people are going to act like unsaved people. If we continue to hide our heads in the sand, if we sit comfortably in our pews each Sunday but don’t share Christ with lost people during the week, we are the ones to blame for the moral decline of our world, the acceptance of sin as normal, the evil that would drive a person to kill another. 

It’s not God’s fault. It’s ours who know him and don’t do anything about it.

Father, I am convicted this morning. I am one who will shake my head at the sin on TV or complain about the ungodliness in our society, the corruption in our government. But you are asking me today to look at what I am doing about it. Am I just complaining? Or am I sharing the Gospel with the people in my world? Am I planting seed? Am I praying with someone to confess sin and accept you as Savior? I pray for your church today, Lord. May we do what you intended for us to do all along. May we be willing to be gathered under your wings and bring our neighbors and friends along, too. Save our world, Lord. One soul at a time.

September 22

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Psalms 121, 122, 123, 128, 130, 134, 135, 136

These psalms remind us how good God is. They are psalms of praise to the One True God, maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 136 reminds us “His love endures forever”. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. 

But his love doesn’t cancel out his holiness.

Sometimes I think we in 2013 mistake God’s love for his forgiveness, his acceptance. Psalm 130:4 says:

But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared.

It doesn’t say with you there is forgiveness, therefore I can live like I want to and you are ok with it because you love me so much. Not only do these psalms speak of God’s blessings, they also remind us God is to be feared.

123:2 As the eyes of slaves look to the hands of their masters…

128:1 Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways.

1135:20 You who fear him, praise the Lord.

Do you fear the Lord? If you really did you might not have said what you said yesterday. You might not have gone where you did or laughed at what you laughed at. You might not think those impure thoughts or harbor hatred toward someone.

Do you fear the Lord? What does that look like in your life? God loved you so much he died for you to pay the penalty for the sins you commit. It’s because of him you can stand before him, wearing his righteousness, cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. 

Are you afraid to dishonor him, to disappoint him? Do you recognize his holiness and fall on your knees before him? God loves you. God so loved the world. But don’t mistake his love for permission. Blessed are those who fear him, who obey him, who serve him.

Holy God, may we view sin as seriously as you do. May we recognize your holiness and tremble at the thought of disobeying you. Thank you for your great love that sent Jesus to Calvary. I want to live my life out of gratitude for your grace. Help me to never take your love for granted but to serve you, to fear you, to love you as you deserve to be loved.

August 20

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Jeremiah 52; Psalms 74, 79, 85

If you don’t read anything else today I hope you’ll take a few minutes and at least read Psalm 85. It really spoke to me today and I’m feeling pretty loved right now. This Psalm was written after the fall of Jerusalem and the capture of over 4,000 Jews. The city and the temple are destroyed. These psalmists are crying out to God to come to their rescue. And I understand that.

But the first three verses of Psalm 85 remind us that God has been faithful since the beginning. He forgives sin and turns from anger when his people repent.

Verses 4-7 contain a plea that God will once again restore his people, that there would be a revival and God would once again grant his salvation. Sounds like a prayer for 2013 to me.

God’s conditions are there in verses 8&9. We need to listen to God, not return to our former way of life, and we need to fear him “that his glory may dwell in us.” God wants to bless us. He misses us when we aren’t walking with him. May we listen and obey and enjoy the blessings that result.

Verses 10-13 thrill me. It’s a picture of our loving Father and his obedient children when love and faithfulness meet together. We the faithful look up and God pours his righteousness down on us. He gives us what is good so that we can produce fruit. And he prepares the way for us. How amazing is that?

I don’t know about you but having read this psalm today I am feeling loved. Yes, I need to keep up my end of the bargain by being obedient. But my heavenly Father lavishes me with blessings beyond imagination when I do. His love. His righteousness. His goodness and Presence, hope, strength… shall I go on?

Is your heart right with God? I pray that it is. And if it is, let him love you today. Look to him and allow him to pour out his blessings on you.

Just take a minute and enjoy it.

 

July 25

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Jeremiah 2-4

Jeremiah is expressing God’s longing for his people to love him. God remembers the early days when Abraham and Sarah had Isaac. He remembers Joseph and Moses and David. And God longs for people who love him like they did.

The other day I shared with you a loved one’s concern for her newly redeemed dad. I told you her dad doesn’t want to go to church because he thinks it’s full of hypocrites. What would this man see in you or me if we attended his church?

I’ll tell you what God says about hypocrites. In 3:6-11 God is upset with Israel for their faithlessness. That nation openly rejected God and served gods made of stone and wood. Judah on the other hand, gave lip service to God. They did not worship him with all their hearts, “but only in pretense.”

Look at verse 11. “…Faithless Israel is more righteous than unfaithful Judah”.

God certainly isn’t saying either nation is righteous. He’s mad at all of them for their disobedience. But God holds a little more contempt for those who profess to be his children, yet live lives that say otherwise.

I’m challenged to check my heart this morning. Am I loving God the way he longs to be loved? Am I serving him 24/7 or just on Sunday mornings? I don’t want to be accused by God or man of worshiping him only in pretense. 

Father, you deserve to be loved. May I show you how much you mean to me today by the things I do and the words I speak and the thoughts I think. May others recognize my love for you by the life I live.

June 9

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Ecclesiastes 7-10

Solomon continues his quest to find happiness and meaning to life. In these chapters he takes a look at morality and suggests maybe living life in the middle of the road is the answer. But once again he will have to admit that there is still something lacking.

I knew a young man fresh out of seminary. He was an eager young youth pastor who knew God had called him into ministry and looked forward to the day when he could pastor his own church. There was nothing middle-of-the-road about this young man.

After church one Sunday evening he and I were sitting around talking about God and life and our church and he asked me what I thought was the meaning of life, the reason for humanity. It caught me off guard and I said something brilliant like, “I don’t know”.

He said something I will never forget. Something that changed my life. He said we are all created to love God. Period.

In Ecclesiastes 8:16-17 Solomon once again throws up his hands and laments that man can never discover the meaning of life. Well, Solomon, my young friend would disagree with you. He would tell you you can’t find the meaning of life because you are looking in the wrong places.

The truth is life is not a mystery. God has lovingly spelled it all out in his Word. Why are you here? To love God. What does God want you to do today? Love him. What is his plan for you? To love him more.

Period.

Everything else in life comes as a result of our love (or lack of love) for God. True meaning, happiness, contentment, joy, whatever it is you are looking for is found in that relationship with the Lord, the One who created you to love him in the first place.

Dear God, forgive us when we make life so complicated. Help us to grasp the enormity of the truth that we are created to fellowship with you, that we are meant to love you, that nothing is more important and nothing more satisfying.

May 21

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Song of Solomon 5-8; Psalm 45; I Kings 5:1-12; 2 Chronicles2:1,3-16

When I read the Song of Solomon I see two people who love each other. They see the best in each other and long to stay in each others’ company. She loves him. He loves her.

Isn’t it tragic when love is one-sided? If you have been in that situation you know how devastating it can be. One person pours himself or herself out and the other holds back. The one who loves waits by the phone in anticipation of hearing the other’s voice. The other doesn’t call. Disappointment becomes a way of life for the one who loves.

God is reminding me today that he is the one who loves in our relationship. And when I don’t return his love he is hurt, disappointed, sad. He has poured himself out for me, gave up everything for me, loves me unconditionally. And he’s the one waiting by the phone.

When I get too busy to read his word or attend church, when it’s days between prayers, when he isn’t the first thing on my mind every day, he still loves me. But it hurts him if I do.

I want  my relationship with God to be like the lovers in Solomon’s Song. 

God, forgive me when I allow our love to be one-sided. I want to love you like you deserve to be loved. 

May20

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Psalm 50; Song of Solomon 1-4

Jesus is our bridegroom. Solomon’s Song was always confusing to me until someone told me to read it picturing Jesus as the lover and me as the one he loves. When I do that the words don’t only make sense, they thrill me!

I am loved. Really, totally, unashamedly loved by Jesus. He loves me in an intimate, personal way. And he loves me very publicly. 

His love sees the best in me. He just can’t get enough of me.

As we read the Song of Solomon together, let’s allow God to express his love for us. And let’s be challenged to return his love. It’s a love that will make us want to live up to it’s view of us. And it’s a love that will invite us to rest in it’s sweetness.

Jesus is our bridegroom. And we are loved.

May 6

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Psalms 138, 139, 145, 8; 2 Samuel 21:1-14, 9:1-13

If you read nothing else today, I hope you will take a minute to read Psalm 139 and let God tell you how much you are loved. He will remind you that he has been with you since the moment you were conceived. In fact, he knew you thousands of years ago and saw you then as clearly as he sees you today. 

He wants you to know that he is always with you… even in the darkest of days.

And here is what touched me this morning. Verse 17 says – How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast the sum of them.

God is letting me know that there isn’t a moment when he isn’t thinking about me. There isn’t a second of the day when I don’t have 100% of his attention. I don’t have to whisper a formal prayer to get him to turn his eyes toward me. And he never puts me on hold while he talks to someone else.

His thoughts concerning me outnumber the grains of sand. “You hem me in, behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.” I love this picture.

I don’t understand how this can be but I believe it with all my heart. You and I are loved by the God of creation. You and I are always on his mind and he is always present with us both. We are hemmed in individually, hugged tightly individually.

So I hope you read Psalm 139. Let the “I” written there come from your heart. Let God hug you today.