Fierce Love
"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him." 1 John 3:1
Love, love, love. Life is all about love. If only I could love better, or be loved better. Love will change the world.
"Woven into every thread of our existence is the concept that love is the most important thing about who we are. When we are unloved, we feel that there must be something wrong with us; when we fail to love we know that we are blameworthy."
But the ultimate love has been given to us in Christ. And it is a love that we take for granted because we think it is like other loves. "His love is not flimsy or self-serving; it's fierce. It's far more like Aslan's than Santa's."
"Shake off your boredom and apathy. God's love for you is fierce, self-afflicting, white-hot, life-transforming. The goal of this love is that you may be called God's daughter, God's son. All this pain and grief is bent in on one primary goal: your adoption and his eventual praise. Your relationship with the Creator of all there is has been secured in the blood and tears of love's delight. Your Father is no longer far off, no longer a stranger, no longer a judge. Now he's your Father. John wants us to see that we are called God's children because we are his children, even now."
We don't live like we believe it though.
"So much of our lives as Christians is spent in futile doubt, weak questionings, and apathetic, self-serving strategies... We've been deceived into believing that his love is passe, something we've already comprehended. It bores us. John's message, through the Spirit of the living Christ, call to you today: "See!"
See the love of Christ for you. Smile. It is finished.
Lenten devotion from Comforts from the Cross by Elyse Fitzpatrick. Day 16.
Love, love, love. Life is all about love. If only I could love better, or be loved better. Love will change the world.
"Woven into every thread of our existence is the concept that love is the most important thing about who we are. When we are unloved, we feel that there must be something wrong with us; when we fail to love we know that we are blameworthy."
But the ultimate love has been given to us in Christ. And it is a love that we take for granted because we think it is like other loves. "His love is not flimsy or self-serving; it's fierce. It's far more like Aslan's than Santa's."
"Shake off your boredom and apathy. God's love for you is fierce, self-afflicting, white-hot, life-transforming. The goal of this love is that you may be called God's daughter, God's son. All this pain and grief is bent in on one primary goal: your adoption and his eventual praise. Your relationship with the Creator of all there is has been secured in the blood and tears of love's delight. Your Father is no longer far off, no longer a stranger, no longer a judge. Now he's your Father. John wants us to see that we are called God's children because we are his children, even now."
We don't live like we believe it though.
"So much of our lives as Christians is spent in futile doubt, weak questionings, and apathetic, self-serving strategies... We've been deceived into believing that his love is passe, something we've already comprehended. It bores us. John's message, through the Spirit of the living Christ, call to you today: "See!"
See the love of Christ for you. Smile. It is finished.
Lenten devotion from Comforts from the Cross by Elyse Fitzpatrick. Day 16.
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