A Planting of Faith Seeds for the Glory of the LORD
Extravagant love…
I remember at a very early age singing, “Jesus, loves me this I know for the bible tells me so,” if as a child you too were raised in a Christian home you know it well. Even though it is thought to be a children’s song the truth is I for one will never outgrow it nor will I ever forget it. One of the most powerful and revealing verses in the bible that tell my Jesus loves me is Eugene Peterson’s rendition of Ephesians chapter 5 verses 1 and 2.
“Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.” (Ephesians 5:1–2, The Message)
“His love was not cautious but extravagant.” In his letter to the Romans Paul puts it this way, “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” (Romans 5:8, NLT) Even though the bible tells me over and over of Jesus’ and God’s love for me the Holy Spirit continues to prove their love for me not in my field of dreams but in my field of nightmares. That is even true when I’ve conducted myself in unloving ways.
As important as it is to keep company with the bible it is far more important to keep company with the Holy Spirit because it is the Holy Spirit who gives power and light to what the bible teaches us about all aspects of the Divine. It has been my desire to walk, talk, and experience Jesus as those did when he was in human form like the disciples did but the Holy Spirit reminds me I can and do experience Jesus’ reality even though I cannot see him with my physical eyes.
It is easy to love and experience love when life flows smoothly but regrettably life doesn’t always flow smoothly and when we get beat up it becomes harder to love and experience love. I believe what separates Divine love from human love is, “He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us.” And it is the depth of that Divine unselfish, unrestrained, unconditional love the Holy Spirit is trying to instill in each of us.
“Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, Doesn’t have a swelled head, Doesn’t force itself on others, Isn’t always “me first,” Doesn’t fly off the handle, Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, Doesn’t revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end. Love never dies.” (1 Corinthians 13:3–8, The Message)
“Love like that.”
Believe it! Experience it!
Grace and PEACE!
Gary
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And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19 NLT)
And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19 NLT)
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Scriptures marked MSG have been taken from THE MESSAGE. Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.”
Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
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