Oh What Love?!

Scripture: 1 John 3:1a HCSB – … how great a love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children. And we are!

“There’s no shadow You won’t light up
Mountain You won’t climb up, comin’ after me …
There’s no wall You won’t kick down
Lie You won’t tear down, comin’ after me …
OH the overwhelming, never-ending reckless love of God!”
Reckless Love, song by Cory Asbury

Have you ever seen a double-pan balance scale? It has two pans, one on each side, sometimes used to balance against each other. Other times they are used to compare how heavy things are and to ensure they are equal in weight. It functions like a see-saw. Now, think of all your “stuff” – your sin(s), your limitations, your negative thoughts about yourself AND others, your inner issues, outer issues … everything! The love Jesus has for you outweighs ALL of that and then some! His death on the cross was not only for you and I, but for the sins of the WHOLE world!! Talk about an unconditional, AMAZING love! On top of that, it never, ever ends!!! It’s everlasting to everlasting!

To outweigh means to be greater or more significant than, likely to be more important than or have an effect on something else. His love IS more significant than any love we can think of, more significant than the love between a husband and a wife, a parent and a child – yup, more significant than that! His love IS more important than any love I can think of. His love DOES have an effect on something else, the whole world! And on someone else … ME!!! And not only me, everyone in this world!

Jesus lavishes us with His love continually! No matter what’s going on in our lives, no matter how we feel, no matter what – NOTHING shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39) When we feel unlovable, lonely, hurt, joyous, burdened, good, bad or otherwise, His love is greater than that, that, that and that too!

Now, imagine if everyone in the world loved one another like Jesus does – yea, I know, my mind can’t fathom it either! But what if we did … what a wonderful world we would be living in! But we can show others that we belong to Him by practicing what His Word says … we ARE the children of God, right?

Prayer: Dear God, thank You for Your awesome, amazing love You show us every day! Our minds can’t even wrap around the thought of being loved in such a way! Even when we disobey You, mistreat You (and others), sin against You … do everything we’re NOT supposed to do, You STILL love us in spite of us! True unconditional love is what You are and what You give! You are awesome in ALL Your ways! You lovingly chasten us because You love us! How about that?! When we think of Who You are, we can’t even put it into words. You are indescribable! When we think of all You have done/are doing/will do (according to Your promises in Your Word), we are limited in how we express our gratitude to such an awesome, amazing God! We can only sum it up by saying THANK YOU! In Jesus’ Name we always pray, AMEN!

(Casey Turner)