Jesus DOES Love you, the love of the Father comes to all who seek, then believe and in trust, follow the Triune God. Here are 3 verses of the Bible that speak volumes to this as fact and in personal experience.
I've written and mentioned the Jude scriptures before, having noticed their powerful truths years ago, but the Romans verse has leapt out at me in a fresh, deeper way.
After meditating on these for several days now and of course, for the 53 years I've walked with Jesus- these things aren't completely new to me but these most amazing, encouraging, core grounding truths still blow me away!
I will accent by using italics and bold font here.
GOD'S INCREDIBLE LOVE! (How?)
Romans 5.5 "...and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us."
The God of hope (2 Cor. chapter 1), the Source of hope is also the God Who is love (1 John 4). I was hopeless on many levels prior to walking with Jesus. Not anymore! I questioned love and even if it existed before, not now! And note how, the means of God's love reaching we who believe in Jesus. Intimacy with the Holy Spirit and thus the Son and the Father happens by the Spirit pouring (sweet word) into our inner beings as believers. This is not the love of the world which at best is only a shadow of the substance of love that pours into us from the Lord. Notice also "has been given to us". Some translators rendering the word "was"- it's past tense, it's been done. Some of us are a bit thick in our noticing, recognizing, considering all the sky-high ways His love is manifested to us as His children. It is not fantasy or myth to stop and meditate, contemplate, deeply consider all the ways His love enters our personal life of faith-walk with God!
Jude 1.1 "Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are called, who are beloved in God the Father and kept safe for Jesus Christ"
My guess is that we Christ-followers often skip over, speed-read terms like "beloved" as though it's a flippant, thin thing. Consider what it means when you have or have had someone or several people truly, deeply dependably -love- you and express it in several ways to the extent you are sure of it. First He calls us. He calls us because He loves us! And yes, He has plans for our life that foundationally bring us knowledge and experienceS of His love. Next, He teaches us and we learn to share that love and those experiences with others that they also might know and experience Him and His love in their lives. It's quite simple but often not our focus in the day to day. Note, Jude accents the safe keeping power, the love that holds us in (sufficient grace!), and yes, for Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. I love how Jude opens his letter to the church in this way.
Toward the end of his letter he accents more amazing as well as practical truths:
Jude v.20 But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; v.21 keep yourselves in the love of God; look forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life."
Certainly God's mercy toward us is a revelation of His love for us- Jesus's crucifixion was ALL about love for us! John 3.16 and 17 bring stark awareness of this. Thank God Almighty for the depth of His loving grace toward us! Note, "build yourselves up on/in this holy faith". We have personal responsibility to actively engage in effort, that being among other aspects, various tools and study, daily relationship with Father/Son/Spirit. Prayer (continual, constant through our days and nights, not merely on Sunday or personal quiet times) to build ourselves up spiritually. If and as we do we play an active part in keeping ourselves in the love of God. Thus the idea our experiencing God's love is somehow automatic and having zero to do with our will, choices and focus is simply not the case.
Study of God's Word, constant prayer, listening to His voice via these and in the many ways He gets our attention and calls, speaks, cares, encourages, cautions/warns and more are about an eternal conversation with the Triune God. His love involves a daily, focused, chosen walk together, we with Him, He with us as His Chosen.
The maturing Christian's response to all this? Thanks, praise, worship- and loving God more and more- plus truly loving our neighbor as our self.
As always, thanks for stopping by! -Glenn
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