Oh beloved, think of it! Our infinite G_d, emptied Himself and became ALSO a man (John 3:16, Philippians 2:7ff). To His Omni-Love for us, He ADDED the love of the Perfect Man, Jesus Christ. Surely only G_d could be something even more than Infinite.
If we think we can wrap ourselves around this… forget it. Just forget it. Too big. Way too real. We can only experience it. Oh beloved, would that the following words might usher you into that place.
We’ve all got problems. We don’t really find it hard to accept that there is a loving G_d. Oh, we posit philosophical arguments, but we know deep down that the problem of evil is indeed solvable through the power of The Gospel… WAIT A MINUTE! There are a few questions that just gotta be answered here.
- Q. How could a loving god allow helpless children to suffer and starve to death?
- A. i don’t know.
- But G_d loves children a lot, and i get the sense of an answer when i ponder the following: G_d took over 16,000 of these precious souls into His very near Presence today. They are now warm, very-well fed, and truly in His everlasting arms. In addition, He has provided US with all the elements needed to feed ALL the hungry people on the planet. What are we doing about the problem?
- Q. How could a loving god allow great evil, like Hitler’s Nazi holocaust?
- A. i don’t know.
- But G_d loves Jews a lot, and again, an answer begins to present itself when i think of this about Him: G_d is too kind to be cruel, and too wise to make a mistake. Then i think of the righteous and honorable nature of the Kingdom of G_d; i think of the power of mighty angels like Archangels and Seraphim. These are ultra-beings that exist only to honor, glorify, and serve G_d. They are simply wired for good. Can you imagine what power is currently being exerted to RESTRAIN them from enforcing justice in G_d’s kingdom? There must be a greater good behind problems like this. Two things already present themselves here: (1) The re-birth of the nation of Israel itself. and (2) the baptism of “The Greatest Generation” allies in WWII. From those two things alone have come inestimable good. And finally, i think on the coming Day, when Jesus Himself will judge and make things right. Yeah, issues like this will be straightened out.
- Q. OK fine. But how could G_d love….. me?
- A. i don’t know
- But G_d…. OK, let’s get personal. This writer’s life is a testament to His Great Love and Grace and Mercy. But the path to this place was, quite frankly, wretched, perverted, evil, putrid and awful. My life was a train-wreck, and i took out a bunch of people with me along the way. i am simply a hot, juicy mess that deserves nothing other than hell. To think of who i was makes me nauseated, and i can barely write about it, but for the regret.
- But G_d loves me a lot, and in a moment of clarity, i comprehended what may be an awesome truth. On the day that they brought the adultress before Jesus, demanding that she be stoned for her adultery, He knelt in the sand and began to draw with His finger in the dirt. i believe it was there that He penciled out the final solution of the Infinite equation of His Love. Elements of that equation included His Love for that woman, for you, and… for me. It was in that moment that He confirmed it all worked. His Plan, His Love, His Grace, His Mercy… all of it. It all works. He then went on to show the proof of that equation by His work on the Cross.
And the Bible is utterly clear. G_d loves you. He loves you cosmically, personally, heroically, virtuously, brother-like, consumingly, father-like, romantically, friend-like, intimately, and relentlessly. i’m not even gonna quote you a verse. it’s the whole Book beloved!
The love of G_d. Never ending. Unstoppable.
Without Measure.
So like, “Absolutely, Really Super-Mega-Ultra Awesome Love” comes up just pitiful in comparison to Him. Here’s the point: There is no comparison. When we speak of Him, we speak of Love Itself, and not any one person that merely possesses or projects love as a tool of goodness.
G_d does not love as though He is wielding some weapon, however good. He moves towards us as Himself – as Love Itself. Get this beloved: He does not love us with something, His Being IS Love. He is not just “in love” with us. We are indeed IN His Love.
No really. Get this.
Romans 8:37-39 says:
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
For I am sure that neither death
nor life,
nor angels
nor rulers
nor things present
nor things to come
nor powers
nor height
nor depth
nor anything else in all creation
will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Can we see it? G_d does NOT just build some “fence” around us with love to keep out the bad stuff, and keep us side-by-side with Him. His Presence in a believer’s life makes stuff like death, spiritual powers, circumstances, pain, worry, anxiety, physical obstacles or anything else IRRELEVANT to His Love. We are in Him. for “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). We are not wrapped in His Love, rather as believers we are dissolved in it.
Let’s simplify: It is really hard to take the sugar out of your tea after it is stirred in. Impossible.
So, everything we face in life is not-ever alone any more. We are infused with the Love that spoke the worlds into existence, the consuming Fire Himself, the LORD of both wonderful and terrible aspect. He is G_d and He is really good at being Who He Is…
And we get worried when we lose our jobs, families, freedom, homes, health, cars, money, and reputation? Are you kidding me? We are simply drowning in the delicious ocean of His Love and we worry. Could we just stop? No really, just stop. Give in to His wonderfulness and enjoy it for a minute. We might just find it amazing.
- For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18).
Still holding back? Hey, give in, give up, and let G_d tsunami you with His Love today!
C.S. Lewis seems to bat a little better than 1.000 when he speaks about G_d’s love. What follows is one of my favorite quotes ever:
~C.S. Lewis
