me despite my failings, shortcomings and inconsistencies. But what amazes me even more
then the earthly love that I receive, is the love from God that envelopes me daily. There
might be things that I can point to that would explain why people might love me, but there
is no reason to explain the love of God towards me. Some people think that they deserve
the love of God. There is only one thing that we deserve from God and that is His holy
wrath.
Romans 2:11 states that, "There is no respect of persons with God." Therefore what
applies to one applies to all. No one is above the deserved wrath of God for sin, because
no one is sinless.
Romans 3:10 & 11 "As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one: there is
none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God."
The natural man is an enemy of God. But...and here it is, God loved us anyway!
Romans 5:8 "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were
yet sinners, Christ died for us."
We will never be able to comprehend the love of God. But we can thank God for this
amazing love that reached down from Heaven in the form of His Son. This amazing
love took Jesus all the way from the splendor of Glory to the manger, and then to the
cross to die in our stead. And this salvation which was purchased at so great of a cost
is open to all that come with a repentant heart.
Romans 10:12 & 13 "For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek:
for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him. For whosoever
shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
This is a love that all the forces of hell can't shatter! How do we love Him? We are
admonished in Deuteronomy 6:5, "And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all
thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." Do we? I think that most
of the time we read this verse with our eyes, but this is what we hear, "And thou shalt
love the LORD thy God with some of thine heart, a little bit of thy soul, and whatever
might you have left at the end of the day."
This is not an exaggeration at all, this is how we at times love the Lord. We give to
God what is left over after we given to everyone else. If God had loved us that way,
we would all be hell-bound with no salvation available. He put us first, put our desperate
need of salvation before His own beloved Son; and we dare to love Him with leftovers!
So...who is this God that we are commanded to love with all our heart, soul and might?
Job 37:5 "God thundereth marvellously with His voice: great things doeth He,
which we cannot comprehend."
Isaiah 40:28 "Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard, that the everlasting
God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary?
There is no searching of His understanding."
Isaiah 45:12 "I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even My hands,
have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded."
Isaiah 66:1a "Thus saith the LORD, the heaven is My throne, and the earth is
My footstool:"
It's hard to wrap our heads around the fact that this Almighty holy God of Heaven loves
us! He wants to have a personal relationship with us! We, who are but dust under His
footstool; He loves us and wants us to love Him. We can never love Him this side of
Heaven the way He deserves to be loved; but that is no excuse not to put Him first above
all else, and to give Him every ounce of love, devotion and service that we can.
Our love can be shown in a couple of ways.
1. We show our love through our actions.
Ezekiel 20:19 "I am the LORD your God; walk in my statutes (Word), and keep
my judgments (Word), and do them."
Walk, keep and do. Our love put into action. In Luke chapter 6 verse 46 we find the
Lord asking this question; "And why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things
which I say?
You've heard the saying, "Actions speak louder then words," well, it is very true. You
can easily spout off great sounding words, but if they aren't backed up by concrete
action, they are worthless.
Matthew 25:35, 36 & 40 "For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat; I was
thirsty and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and
ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto
me... And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you,
inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have
done it unto me."
You say you love God... then walk, keep and do.
2. We show our love through speech.
Titus 2:8 "Sound speech, that cannot be condemned."
This was Paul's admonition to Titus about aged men, but it applies to us as well. Our
speech should not bring any reproach against God. We see the same concept stated in
Colossians 4:6;
"Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how
ye ought to answer every man."
In all our speech, we should be exalting the name of Christ. Our words should be a
source of balm for the hurting, admonition for the wayward, peace for the wrathful,
calm for the distressed, and a message of hope for the lost. People are not dumb, they
can tell whether you are speaking the truth in love. Don't waste your breath if you're
going to speak the truth in hate or disgust. You will bring reproach on the name of
the Lord.
When we show the love of God to others, through our actions or speech, we are showing
love to Him. We will never be able to match the love that God has for us, but we should
be willing to love Him with all our hearts, soul and mind...it is the very least we can do!
Jeremiah 31:3 "Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with
lovingkindness have I drawn thee."
In the darkness Jesus found me,
Touched my eyes and made me see,
Broke sins chains that long had bound me,
Gave me life and liberty.
Oh amazing truth to ponder,
He whom angel host attend.
Lord of Heaven, God's Son, what wonder,
He became the sinners friend.
O glorious love of Christ my Lord divine,
That made Him stoop to save a soul like mine.
Through all my days and then in Heaven above,
My soul will silence never,
I'll worship Him forever,
And praise Him for His glorious love.
John W. Peterson
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