If you were cold and I had a blanket for you, would it not make sense to take that blanket and use it? Or would you choose to sit there cold and deny yourself the comfort of being warm? If you did choose not to take the blanket, would you be able to give me some logical reason why you are better off without the blanket? I know these might sound like silly questions, but each and every day these are the choices that people make about receiving the fullness of God's love. It is offered to anyone and everyone who will receive it, but the key is that you have to want to receive it. Receiving God's salvation and receiving God's love are not the same thing. Many mistake them for the same thing, but once they understand the difference, then they understand what they have been denying themselves.
Just like His love, God offers anyone the chance to receive salvation through Jesus Christ. It doesn't matter your past, and it doesn't matter the condition of your present. The only thing that matters is the condition of your heart the moment you decide to accept His gift of salvation. Ephesians 2:8 tells us that is is "by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God". So this means that 3 things take place... a) you realize you want to spend eternity with God (in heaven), b) you realize you're not going to do it on your own (we need God), and c) you choose to accept God's forgiveness and grace on your life, and choose to trust (faith) that accepting the gift of Jesus' life, death and resurrection is the only true way to get there according to God's word (repentance of sin). When these things happen you have received God's gift of salvation, freely given. However, this does not mean that you all of the sudden understand the fullness of God's love. This is something that comes to us as we grow in God. And that happens by spending time in His word and in the secret place with Him (your alone time of prayer). Sure, you can let someone preach to you and tell you about God's love, but this does not mean you will experience it. I can tell you all about bungy jumping, but until you step off that ledge and take the plunge for yourself, you will not fully grasp how it feels to bungy jump. Right? And the sad thing is, this does not just apply to those who are not saved yet. I have met hundreds of Christians who have receiving God's salvation, but still do not understand the depth of love that He has for them. And so I go back to my example of the blanket....why would you sit in the cold when there is something there to keep you warm.
God's love offers so much more than words can explain, and that's why hearing about it it far from the same as experiencing it. The peace and absolute joy that can be experienced all the time when you realize that His love for you is real, is personal, is deep and is protective, is far better than anything this world has to offer as "love". Sadly enough, we throw the word love around so much anymore in the world that it has lost a lot of meaning. But when you truly experience the love of God you will not just have a new understanding of the meaning, you will feel the meaning of love. And He will go from your "God" to your "daddy". You can literally feel His affection and when He has to correct you, you will feel the love behind that too. You will begin to see that it IS His love that steers us, stops us, opens and closes doors for us, and brings us peace. And it won't be containable. You will want to tell others about it because it's a gift you know everyone should have.
There is plenty of scripture that talks about God's love for us and how His love should change us. But what does it for me is when I think about what Jesus went through, when He could have stopped it at any time, but He didn't. When I think that God knew what all His Son would have to face for us, and He allowed it just for us. When I consider the depths of pain that I know I have caused Him, yet He still did it all for me, and has continued to bless me and show me favor....that is when I personally feel His love. And knowing all He knows about me, He still invites me to curl up on His lap and receive His love every time I go to spend time with Him. That's love....and that's the "blanket" I offer you in this cold world we live in. So please don't choose to sit in the cold when there is a blanket waiting for you.
God, thank You for Your definition of love. Thank You that it does not look like the love we find in the world we live in. Thank You that it IS for everyone, and I pray today that someone who needs it will feel it in a whole new way. I pray Your love covers them like a blanket and the warmth of it brings them a peace they have never experienced. In Jesus name, Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment