11/04/2021
Have we reached a conclusion as to what brought us to love Jesus Christ, and to believe Him to be our Savior? Was it the love he has for us that fueled the fire of our faith in Him? Was it how He spoke wisdom as He delivered the beatitudes? Was it one of the miracles He performed? Well, there have been many great teachers through the years, many men who have thrilled people with amazing acts, and doctors who have healed the sick, but there is only one man, Jesus Christ, that loved us enough to take on our sins, and who then gave His own life for us… to redeem all of fallen mankind from sin and death. It is this immense love that should control us, and bring us to our knees in belief. In this we love Him with all our hearts, and realize that we owe Him our lives; it is His love for us that has sparked our faith, and stoked its fire in us. Is this the conclusion we have reached regarding our faith in Jesus?
“For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.”
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 ESV
This is the New Covenant. In this way God took His endless, and unfathomable love for us , and funneled it through the obedience of His Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem us. This is the cup that Jesus accepted as He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. This is the love that was worth His tremendous suffering, and His precious life on Calvary. This is what truly fires the furnace of our belief, and purifies our own love for Him. This is the hand that controls the rudder which steers us in our faith towards Heaven, eternity, and God… it is love.
“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. We love because he first loved us.”
1 John 4:16, 19 ESV
Jesus tells us time and again that He loves us, and not only in the way that He knows how to love us as a man, but just as His Father loves Him. This is the way that we should love too, and where we should look to find strength and direction for our faith. By obeying the Father’s commandments, and abiding in His love we receive more than belief, and faith, we receive the same fullness of joy that Jesus came to know, and we are transformed into the image of Christ.
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”
John 15:9-11 ESV
So, our faith and belief in Jesus are not controlled by reason, nor by our own determination, but by love, and that love flows down from God Himself who is the embodiment of it! In realizing this have we come to know the root of our faith in Jesus, and understand the power that is the essence of grace? In this we are being transformed into the image of Christ… imitating the Father, and becoming His beloved child?
“ “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
Ephesians 5:1-2 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the endless love that is who you are, and help us to love you as you love us, with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Lord, lead us to that place where we are willing to lay down our lives, and pick up the cross of Jesus Christ. Strengthen our ability to love you, Jesus, our families, friends, neighbors, and even our enemies. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God, and great is your love for the world; so great that you found it worthy of your Son’s suffering, and life. Praised be your name for each instance when your love is made evident to the world through us. Bless us Father by leading us to you through our faith in Jesus; a faith that is only made possible by your love. Wash us in the blood of Christ, and cleanse us of every sin. Pour out your love and grace upon us, and purify us. Usher us into your house, and seat at your table where wine, honey, manna, and your love is bring served up to a starving world for eternity, and a day.
Rich Forbes