God loves us. This is an explosive, life-altering message. But how human to not believe it, or to allow our thoughts to cascade into a thousand other self-demeaning directions. How dare we call unlovely what he has loved with the price of the cross! Yes, God loves us--unconditionally, totally, genuinely. But his love is not a wispy or wimpy "because I love you I will never hassle you about your behavior or call you to account for the ways you disobeyed me." His love demands that we admit our sinfulness, and yet also makes a way of forgiveness--the death of Jesus in our place. Sadly, we pay too little attention to this great love.
Romans 8: 35-39 tells us that nothing can separate us from God's love. What incredible news! Nothing can separate me from his love. Not even my particular temperament or my feelings. Nothing. Period.
This news should be the source of a never-ending refreshing, a spring so cool that it never ceases to satisfy. This news should prompt an overflow of love into the world around us and form the basis for the message we share to initiate the formation of new disciples--in effect, a fulfillment of the Great Commission.
Not sharing this love is antithetical to its very nature. Our mission as Christians is made easy when we are dwelling in the reality of Romans 8.
I love the way Eugene Peterson says it in his popular paraphrase:
"Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settle on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love....(What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celbration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son." Ephesians 1:4-7, Message
I adapted this blog from my book, "The Cure."
Have a great day. Relish in this: GOD LOVES YOU!!!
Harry
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