“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
I truly intended to finish love yesterday with part 2, but then this popped up in my Facebook memories from a few years ago and it stopped me in my tracks. Who is needing to hear one more devotion on love? Is it me, Lord?
Love means “a strong affection or liking.” God LOVES the person … not the sin. God sees the sin, yet LOVES the person despite the sin. He LOVES the person so much that He desires for that person to forsake the sin and believe in Him. Just because the person had sin in their life, Christ did not alienate Himself from them. Christ ate with “publicans and SINNERS.” Why would He do such a thing? How could He?! (shock)
Let me say this … this devotion has not the first thing to do with what is going on in the world today, “black lives matter,” the gay movement, who is allowed in which bathroom, etc. But, this whole devotion is about what God said and what God set the example for us to do.
I believe in Biblical separation [a break; division; not partaking of]. I believe that God clearly teaches that in His Word … I John 2:15a clearly tells us that we are to “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world …” and we also see that in II Corinthians 6:17 when it says to “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing: and I will receive you.”
We do not have to immerse ourselves in other’s lives or do what they are doing to LOVE them and to share God’s LOVE towards them. If we are living our lives right/righteously, they will know what we stand for. But, at the same time, we do not have to lift ourselves so far up on a pedestal that we lose all our testimony and effectiveness and witness to them to where they would rather reject Christ, than receive Him.
In John 3:17 it says that God didn’t come to condemn (punish … even though one day we all will stand accountable before Him), because just by not believing, that person has already condemned themselves (John 3:18). But, God has come through LOVE to bring this world to the saving knowledge of Himself. What greater LOVE is there … “Greater LOVE hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” There is nothing in my life or yours that a sinless, perfect, righteous and holy God would desire. Yet, He goes on to say in verse 16 that “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you …” God has chosen to show forth His LOVE and through that love for us to be the salt and the light of the earth.
Who has God placed in your path to LOVE? Is it the cashier at the grocery store (who is covered in tattoos), the teller at the bank (who was rude to you), your child’s teacher at school (who disciplined your child when you didn’t think that they deserved it), the school bus driver (who doesn’t care if your child missed the bus or not), the mailman (who never puts your mail in the box right), the young adult that lives next door (who has blue and pink spiked hair and piercings all over their face) or your child (who has forsaken every word of advice you have given and has set their own path for their lives)?
Who is it? Show them God’s LOVE today … that unconditional, one-way street LOVE; that love that knows no bounds, that is long-suffering, that is kind, that is not envious, that is not boastful or prideful, that seeks after the needs of others, that thinks kind thoughts, that rejoices in truth, that bears up under all things, that does not lose hope, that will endure unimaginable things and that never faileth … NEVER!
I John 4:7-8 “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God … He that loveth not knoweth not God: for God is love.”