“We love, because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19 AMP
Today’s verse is simple yet holds in it the freedom from rejection! As we read through God’s Word and see it in action in the life of Christ, we come to the undisputable fact that even in our sin, God loved us. Remember the words of John 3:16?
““For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 AMP
All we need do is look to the scared hands of the One who gave it all for our freedom! It was the love of God that stimulated my love for Him! I clearly remember the night Jesus appeared to me in the middle of my sin! Sitting in my living room with a joint in one hand and beer in the other reading the Bible, I had just read Romans 10:9-10.
“because if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord [recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God], and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For with the heart a person believes [in Christ as Savior] resulting in his justification [that is, being made righteous–being freed of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God]; and with the mouth he acknowledges and confesses [his faith openly], resulting in and confirming [his] salvation.: Romans 10:9-10 AMP
I said to myself, “So what is the difference if I say that I believe? I am a liar, what is going to make this any different than the lies I told before? Lord, teach to what it means to believe in my heart!” It was at that moment He appeared! I can’t describe the overwhelming warmth radiating from Him but it was as if pure love flooded over my body. “What do you want from me” I asked. “Look at me I am everything You are not, I lie, I steal, I drink, and am a failure, I don’t deserve to be around You! With eyes burning with acceptance He replied, “I love you?” I couldn’t stand it! I believe in that moment the transformational power of God began to work on my deliverance, and my life has never been the same!
It is true that love lies dormant until it is stimulated by something or someone. It didn’t matter that my past was filled with so much dysfunction, and my concept of love was totally trashed, He opened the door to my heart and let His love flow in! Earlier, John in his Epistle said this about God’s love.
“Whoever confesses and acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16We have come to know [by personal observation and experience], and have believed [with deep, consistent faith] the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides continually in him. 17In this [union and fellowship with Him], love is completed and perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment [with assurance and boldness to face Him]; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18There is no fear in love [dread does not exist]. But perfect (complete, full-grown) love drives out fear, because fear involves [the expectation of divine] punishment, so the one who is afraid [of God’s judgment] is not perfected in love [has not grown into a sufficient understanding of God’s love].” 1 John 4:15-18 AMP
Do you see it? The first step is to allow God’s love to abide in you! That is done by simply accepting the fact the He loves you! My walk with God isn’t based of fear. I now try my best to be everything He paid for on the cross. Am I perfect? Can I simply sine because there is forgiveness? Certainly not. But when I do fall short. His loving arms pick me up, brush off my knees and says, “Let’s move on!” If you have never experienced the never-ending, overwhelming, reckless love of God, confess with your mouth and believe in your heart! Have a blessed day, Pastor Ken