FOR THE LOVE OF GOD...Divine Love #3

We have spent time in two previous Posts learning about LOVE from our human perspective first and then from the Biblical perspective. Both of these have been necessary begin to understand God's everlasting love for His entire creation. Our limited wisdom in this area causes us to compare our experiences, both good and bad, to Divine Love even though we literally remain unable to comprehend what limitless love without irrational emotions, like jealousy, fear, lust, and selfishness, is all about.


Since I live in the same category with everyone else, my thoughts come from the very same experiences as you. The only difference is that my time spent on this subject spans some sixty plus years. That time plus my appetite to research as much as possible give me a perspective that I trust you will find somewhat enlightening. Here are some of the things that I have internalized over time:

1. Our view of God's love is myopic, because we experience it in the pre-conceived boundaries of our mind. We are such a selfish race that we believe that our Creator's full time job is to take care of the 8 billion people on this planet. Think about the period of time from Adam  & Eve to Noah. Before God saved your immortal soul, he saved two of every species on this planet, including Noah's family. Noah's family was used by God to regenerate human life only. 
2. Our view of God's love is selfish. God loved all of his creation, so open your mind to understand that His love is not only about you and me. He created us in his image, and ostensibly at the top of the food chain, but He created your dog and cat, the birds in the air, the animals in the forest, and the fish in the sea. He knows the number of hairs on your head, and the grains of sand on any beach. Also, not a sparrow drops to the ground with Him knowing about it. We have little understanding of his selfless lovingkindness for his entire creation. Divine love is way bigger than us, despite our selfish misconception.
3. Our view of God's love is time constrained. We talk about eternity, but live and love in days and weeks. We measure love in units of time. The average couple gives up on marriage in 2 years, 6 months, and 25 days. I dare say you keep your pets longer. God's love is not only eternal, it is boundless and does not change its mind.
4. Our view of God's love is that it is prejudicial. We think that God only loves Catholics or Protestants or Muslims. Some others think God only loves particular races, particular colors of skin, or particular professed beliefs. How arrogant and out of touch are we all that do not understand the universality of Divine Love. While we waste time and energy forging the dividing lines between us, God must shake his head in disbelief. He has never seen your skin color, or where your ancestors were born. He could care less about what you tell people about what you believe. He peers directly into your heart and soul.
5. Our view of God's love is that it is based on what we do...If you can't get by His insight into your soul, He also could care less what you do in His name or anyone else's. You cannot work enough, donate enough, build enough, volunteer enough or attend church enough to experience Divine love. Since we measure love that way ourselves, we push our decimal system of love on Him, because we cannot recognize His gift of love for what it really is. 
6. Our view of God's love that it can changed or shortened based on something you did or said. It is amazing how we try to shape our Creator based on our experiences. The fact is that He loved you before you were born. He will love you your entire lifetime, no matter what you say or do with your life. He will love you after your death whether you end up with Him for eternity or not. So you see that God's love is not biased one way or the other because of us. Divine love does not terminate, ever. Not only is it boundary free, it is endless. Saint or sinner, good or evil, skinny or fat, and short or tall, His love is permanent. Where you spend eternity depends on you, not Him.

Now you have three Posts on Divine love. When you read these and use them as a backdrop for your life and your relationship with the Lord, I pray that you will first be humbled by his majestic, unfailing love. Then open your heart and soul completely in the safety of Divine Love. Hide nothing, no matter how far you have it buried, and He will permanently warm your heart and light up your soul. He fathered your existence with his breath of life. He requires your unqualified love, respect and honor so much that he provided his Son out of eternal love and for eternal redemption.


Be thankful everyday, "For the Love of God..."




The Digital Disciple