LOVE OF GOD

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. - John 3:16

The above sentence is used numerous times by Christians all over the world. Why? Because it summarizes the whole message of the Gospel in one sentence.

Below we that there are three qualities of God that are two amazing for us. Of course there are more but I have picked just three because in my opinion they are most important than the rest.

i) His Forgiveness: 2 Corinthians 7:14; Psalm 103:8-12, Luke 15:3-7
ii) His Faithfulness: Psalm 65:2,5; Matthew 7:7-11
iii) His Love for us: John 3:16; 15:9, 13; Isaiah 54:10

In this article we are going to discuss mainly God's undying love for us. You may ask the question: "Why does God love us so much?" It is because God is our creator and He has molded us like a potter molds a claypot. He has made us in His image and has breathed into us life.

God has both the qualities of Father and Mother and these qualities He bestows upon us. He nurtures us, disciplines us, educates us through His Word, and most of all He loves us.

God's love for us far exceeds: the love of a mother for her son; the love of a man for his brother; the love of a husband for his wife; the love of a child for his parents; and many other earthly examples of love.

1 John 4:19 says: "We love His, because He first loved us."
We did not put ourselves on the cross for God but God did it for us. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ is God's primary example of love.

"... His banner over me was love" - Song of Solomon 2:4b

Since God loves us so much, and has proved it by giving His Son as an atonement for our sins, how should we react? Jesus said the greatest commandment of God is to love God with "all your heart, soul and mind" (Matthew 22:37). He gave another commandment: "You shall love thy neighbour as thyself" (Matthew 22:38)

We are to love him with the fullest of heart, soul and mind.
Heart: Our love for Him should exceed our love for anyone else. We should completely devote ourselves to loving Him.
Soul: Our love must be only towards Him and not anything earthly and man-made. This is for the good of our own soul.
Mind: We should be engulfed in the warmth of His teachings. This is another way of loving Him: "Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart." - Psalm 37:4.

John is a role model for those Christians who want to love the Lord more than anything else in the world. In John's gospel he always regarded himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved". John was also known as "the beloved disciple" and his love for God was ablaze throughout his writings.

"He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love." - 1 John 4:8

John pleaded with the early church to "love one another". We are to glorify Christ in ourselves by loving each other. Why? Because God is love. Jesus said this was the second greatest commandment. We should not do it as if we are doing a favour but we should do as if we were obeying a command from God.

God's act of creating us, in His image, itself is an act of love.

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." - 1 John 4:18

If God loved us so much why then should we fear the world, the flesh, or the devil. Take that fear out of you and your love will be made perfect.

When I lie on the stone cold floor;
at night I think what will befall me.
Then my mind meditates on heavenly things galore;
Surely my Lord Jesus will save me.

Vicious people encircle me like savage hounds;
wanting at every opportunity to tear me away.
Assuredly my Lord Jesus- whose hands knows no bounds;
will deliver me time and time again on this very day.

O Lord your glories are magnificent;
like the reverence of Your name.
Your brand of justice is more than efficient;
putting your enemies to shame.

The benign voice of the Lord assures me;
"weep not my child, my sheep,
For I will come hither and gather thee;
to love so precious and so deep".