Living In Love
Today, as we are almost through the month of February, we have been reminded of Valentine’s Day, Winter Olympics, Black History, and the Russian invasion of the Ukraine. Our culture draws our attention in all directions, and some of these events or issues can cause us to fear. God has a single direction He is calling our attention to. That is life in Him – a life that is totally committed to God through salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ and living in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Today, I want to talk to you about LOVE – no, not special cards, candy, and sentimental expressions. Instead, a love that knows no equal, depth or limitation.
The inexhaustible love of God is not just a thing that makes us less upset or emotionally secure. Love is a person. That person is Jesus Christ.
1 John 3:1 says, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God.” Let’s look at this verse. First, it says God’s love is great. The word great means an amount or intensity considerably above normal or average. How often do we describe something is great when we want to say, it is more than enough? The intense love God has for us is without equal.
In this verse, John says that he (God) lavished His love on us. This love has been bestowed on us generously and in large qualities. This elaborate and luxurious love God has poured out on us sending his Son, Jesus, to die for us, has no measure and no limitations.
Most of our love has limits. In a love relationship, it has parameters or boundaries. Marital love between and man and woman have boundaries. The boundary of fidelity and commitment to each other set boundaries for us in how we protect our love. When at times love is tested, it can become stronger or it can break down. Reconciliation is necessary to bring the love back into the boundaries of love. That is what we call forgiveness.
God’s great love poured out generously on us has boundaries. In our love relationship with God, sin is our boundary. Sin can deceive our mind and cause actions that test the boundaries of love. Even when we sin, God never loves us less, but we are less in love with Him when we allow selfish desires and ambitions to blur the boundaries of God’s love.
When I was away from God, and He knew I was going the wrong direction, He never left my side even when the enemy had deceived me into thinking: “What could be wrong with this or that?” The enemy made wrong, look good and appealing. If sin had no appeal, we would never be tempted. However, God was waiting; He never left me alone. God fights for those He loves. He gently picked up the pieces and began to draw me back where I needed to be.
Romans 12:9 says, “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.” The enemy can deceive us into thinking that sin is just not-the-best-choice. Christians may think that sin is only a thing to avoid if you can. No, we should hate sin. Sin separates us from God. Sin destroys marriages. Sin leads to war, infidelity, incest, abuse, and the list goes on. Our world is suffering from the results of sin. So, hate is not too strong of a word. We should hate sin.
The last part of the verse says, “That we should be called children of God.” This last summer I cared for and then lost both of my parents in 50 days. I was called in to help them during the last days of their lives. When I began to make decisions for them, it was not in time to save them, but instead, to declare to them that I was their child. I was the only one by law that could make decisions for them. I was called their child when I was born. My birth certificate said I belonged to Jim and Charlotte White. They claimed me and called me their child. Now it was time to respond to that claim.
When I became a child of God, I signed up when I asked Jesus to be my Savior. We made an agreement that I was His child. He called me by name. I was now a child of God. What an awesome love God has greatly lavished on us. He has made it possible to be called a child of God and to follow God’s call. May you know that love in a deeper way today. May your words and your actions be out of love that the Father has for you.
Rev. Susanne Blake, Pastor, Hospital Chaplain, and District Superintendent's wife of the Indianapolis District
Published: 02/23/2022
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