The Love Of God For You And Me

 

The Love Of God For You and Me

During this Lenten season  I’ve been appreciating the awesome greatness of God’s love.    Our Lord is so everlastingly patient with us.    That’s love.    He is so merciful when we fall.    That’s loving us even more.    God’s faithfulness cannot be fully described for any one person’s life,  and yet,  He is that faithful towards the billions of us on this earth all the time.    That’s even more unimaginable love overflowing.

Do we appreciate that love?    Do we care that God loves us and everyone around us so deeply?    Just looking at the behavior of the majority,  one probably has to conclude that people don’t care about God’s love.

They might yearn for love from people,  but not care about God’s love.

But  God wants us to always keep our eyes on His love  so that  it will strengthen us to live godly lives in this world.    Hebrews 12:3  says,  “For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself,  so that you may not grow weary and lose heart.”

All sorts of people were hostile towards Jesus — Pharisees,  Sadducees,  the proud,  the self-righteous,  those who could not bring themselves to believe His teachings.    Even today,  many people are vehemently pitted against Jesus.

Nevertheless,  Jesus loves them all,  from the prostitute,  to the demon possessed,  to the dishonest tax-collector,  and  especially those who yearn for the fulfillment of God’s salvation in Christ.

We all know how God graciously delivered us from the consequences of sin through Jesus’ willing sacrifice and resurrection power.    That grace is for us.

This grace washes away absolutely all of our sins  and  makes us adopted children of God.    But — we only have this lifetime to accept God’s gift of grace.

If we don’t repent  and accept God’s forgiving love now,  we might end up in hell.    (Yes, there are unrepentant sinners in church.)    And whose fault would that be?    God’s awesome love IS here in Christ.    God’s offer of full forgiveness  IS  for here and now — until Judgment Day.

We should remember  and never cast aside the truth  that God will not forgive unbelievers  who refuse to repent  or  trust in God’s sacrificial love — love that forgives all sins.

Revelation 16  talks about some terrible plagues that God will send upon the earth in efforts to bring people to repentance  and  faith.    But  sadly,  verse 11 notes,  “and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains  and their sores,  and  they did not repent of their deeds.”    Just imagine how heartrending that is for God.    If a parent feels their heart is rent by “one”  rebellious child,  multiply that quadrillions of times for God.

Have you ever loved someone  who couldn’t care less about your love?    Consider the numberless God has loved  without ever getting  any love in return.    He keeps loving.

Because people belligerently refuse to change their sinful lifestyles,  2 Corinthians 6:1-2    admonishes,  “… we also urge you  not   to receive  the grace of God  in vain — for He says,  ‘At the acceptable time  I listened to you,  and on the day of salvation  I helped you’;  behold,  now  is ‘the acceptable time,’    behold,  now is  ‘the day of salvation’.”

As we learn about God’s redemption  in Christ,  now is the time  to take stock  of our lives.    Now is the time to let God work some respect  into our stubborn worldly hearts.

We cannot afford to fool ourselves into thinking that God will forgive us and grant us eternal life,  even if  we refuse to show Him faith,  love  and  respect  for His full and free salvation.    That is unbiblical to the point of blasphemy.    That is the same as  claiming God’s admonitions  and  warnings  in the Bible are all lies to scare us.

If we want God’s forgiveness,  we have to personally accept His sacrificial,  cleansing love  to remove absolutely all our sins.    We cannot afford to let God’s love be wasted on us.    That love is real,  eternal,  faithful,  merciful  and  ever so powerful.    Let it do its work.

If God’s love and forgiveness don’t seem real,  study His word.    See how He has kept all of His promises  since the beginning of creation.    The proof is in the pudding.    Taste and see.

Love,   Margaret