05/20/2019
How sweetly, and with what love does our Lord beckon us to come to Him. Do you hear Him, and yet ignore His invitation? Does the call and allure of the world drown out His loving words, and appear more enticing to us? Friend, there is no earthly love or passion that can equal those of God. His love is forever, and His passion for our lives is full to the brim with goodness and mercy... He never disappoints.
“I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love, and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them.”Hosea 11:4 ESV
In the course of their sermons pastors often ask the seemingly rhetorical question “Do you know that God loves you?” And the people respond “yes” with nods, raised hands, and Amens; yet so many leave His love behind as they return to their homes. After having felt His presence, and received a holy meal from His bountiful table, they go home alone, or place a worldly love back on the throne of their heart. They return to those in business and life who would abandon them in hardship. Does this sound familiar?
“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”Romans 5:8 ESV
Who in our earthly lives do we believe will be at our side through all hardship, betrayal, and suffering? Every wedding contains words such as these...”till death do us part”, and “in sickness and in health.” Each couple swears an unending love for the other but even in this common, and most straightforward of covenants before God we see that deep inside they cling to caveats... holes by which they can escape. So if we experience this in our earthly promises and contracts, and our daily lives and passions are so easily abandoned, then why is it that we walk away from the one unwavering relationship; the most perfect love we can imagine? Are we afraid that this love will fail us too? Do we miss the fact that God’s love will perfect our own?
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him."”Lamentations 3:22-24 ESV
Our very souls tell us of God’s portion, and yet our minds convince us somehow that the world holds more promise. What folly is this, as the dark one continues to perpetuate his lie in our lives. Nothing of the world lasts, yet our God’s love and faithfulness is everlasting.
“the Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.”Jeremiah 31:3 ESV
We look up at the cross as we taste the flesh and the blood, and we smell the sweat that drips from the brow of Christ in Gethsemane. We know the sacrifice, and the love that brought it to be... yet we convince ourselves that something of this world is worth ignoring all of that. Does this describe you today? Are you walking capriciously back and forth between those earthly things that beckon you, and the eternal love of God that endures, and flows constant from Calvary?
“"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”John 3:16 ESV
So as you hear the calling of God, and see the agony of Christ that spared nothing for you, will you at long last, and for always, answer with the words “Here am I”? I hope you will turn to the one everlasting love, and towards Him whose passion knows no limits. This is not just our promise in life, but throughout eternity... no further need for “until death do we part”, or “in sickness and in health”, but instead...
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”Romans 8:35, 37 ESV
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for your love for me that was established before the foundation of the earth, and I thank you for the passion of your Son Jesus Christ who laid down His life for me that I might be forgiven, and have life everlasting. Help me Father in my unbelief, and give me confidence and unwavering hope in your love for me. Guide my feet so that they will forever walk along your way, and be at your side always. Reveal the truth of the world to me Holy Father so that I will understand how fleeting its ways are, and how capricious its love is. Let my love for you be bolstered by yours for me, even as I gain strength from your strong right arm. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you my God who loves without end, and in whose Word I find hope and truth forever. Praised be your name Merciful Father, for your grace speaks of your love, and your Son’s Passion reveals its depth. May all glory and honor be yours forevermore... even as it was and is. Abide in me always my Loving Father, and Suffering Christ. Make perfect my love for you.
“So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”1 John 4:16 ESV
Rich Forbes