Maybe you were the child that all your parents had to do was look at you sternly and you stopped misbehaving. Or maybe it took much more effort from your parents before it finally sunk in that what you were doing was wrong. Parents correct their children out of the love they have for them, not because they want to be mean, but because they want only the best for them. Our Heavenly Father does the same for us. Deuteronomy 8:5 says, “Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.” When we can view difficulties in our life as loving correction from God rather than just punishment…our entire spiritual perspective and faith will be impacted and increased.
Tag: how great is the love the Father has lavished on us
Ephesians 5:25 ” Husbands, love your wives, just like Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her.”
In a marriage, men are to look to Jesus as the example. For Jesus spoke of the Church as His bride and He the bridegroom. Jesus demonstrated His love for His bride by willingly dying in her place. This type of love is devoted, selfless, and sacrificing. It’s a love that cherishes, values, and treats as precious another person. In modern language, it’s a love that would take a bullet for her.
Romans 5:5 ” And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who He has given us.”
It’s easy to love those we have a natural affinity for. It’s not hard at all to love our family and those close to us. Nor is it difficult to love those we’re naturally attracted to. But what about those who are like sandpaper against our soul? What about the unlovely of the world…the disagreeable, repugnant, and unpleasant people who God has called us to love regardless? For Jesus didn’t add any exceptions when He told us to, “Love one another.” But when we have the love of God…the unconditional, Agape, love within, we are able to look beyond the exterior and love the unlovely.
Lamentations 3:31-32 ” For men are not cast off by the Lord forever. Though He brings grief, He will show compassion, so great is His unfailing love.”
None of us is immune to grief, suffering, and troubles…for they are just part of this journey we call life. But it’s good to reflect on the attributes of the Lord spoken of in this Scripture today. God’s love for us is everlasting and unconditional…for there is nothing in and of ourselves we can do to obtain this love…it is a free gift given by grace not our works. But also there is nothing so terrible we can ever do that this love can’t reach us. Mercy and kindness are central to God’s character, and it’s out of this great love for us that we can find forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
I Corinthians 13:7 ” Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
The word that stands out in this Scripture to me is the word always…repeated four times in this short sentence. So, what does always really mean? Well, according to Webster, it means, at all times. Thus, this verse shows us what true unselfish love should look like. It’s the type of love that is constantly looking for the good in people…believing in and expecting for the very best. It’s a love that will bear up under a load of misery, adversity, persecution, and provocation with faith, hope, and a smile…thinking of others first. And just like the love of Christ, unselfish love never fails, and never gives up on others.
I Corinthians 13:4 ” Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.”
For the next few days I’m going to writing on the familiar verses in the 13th Chapter of I Corinthians, also known as the Love Chapter. These verses tell us what Christian love should look like. But even more importantly, they tell us what selfish self-centered love looks like. The love Jesus taught of was an unconditional agape love…love that is compassionate, and understanding…refusing to retaliate or repay evil with evil. But the love the world teaches of is egotistical, self-absorbed, and arrogant….refusing to put others first. These verses will look at both types of love…selfish and unselfish, and their impact on the world.
II Peter 1:2 ” Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.”
Today, this Scripture would be my prayer for you…no matter where you are in your walk with the Lord. I ask that God’s grace and peace…His unearned and unmerited favor, would be lavished on you, and that you would come to realize just how much He loves you. Great word lavish! It speaks of profusion, extravagance, and of showering down abundantly. It’s used in I John 3:1, where it states, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” I pray that you would experience that abundant love for yourself today.
Safetypinlove 