Love!

Love!

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 KJV

Background:

Every culture has its interpretation and expression of what it calls love. One thing that can be seen from all these different interpretations is that it has to be seen for it to be real or believed. By the standards of the world, no one can claim to love another person if there is no tangible way to prove it. The world can only define what it wants by what it feels, sees or hears, and that is why the world is easily deceived. It is possible to claim to love someone, yet be plotting to kill the person the next moment. We seem to have mastered the art of deception, and unless God reveals the heart of someone to you, it is impossible to know what is in the heart of that person. The pretence, deceit and hypocrisy go on, and lives and destinies have been destroyed because of these. How do you then recognize the authentic? How do you know the difference between that which God is and that which the world peddles? 

Focus:

The world will emphasize the physical, but cannot define the spiritual. God presents himself first and foremost as the epitome and embodiment of love. You cannot define the word outside of God. The example that God laid down is in what He gave up. He is God, and nothing I do or fail to do can change who God is; however, he emptied Himself of all the glory and power, and made himself like us, so He could walk in our shoes, live our lives, so He could taste death once and for all for all of us. The amazing thing about this love was that He did it without expecting anything back from those He showed love to. There were no guarantees that those who He died for would even love Him back, but He still gave His life. Love does not wait for a favourable response before it reaches out; it is love, whether the target accepts it or not. The whole world is the recipient of this love, and no matter how bad you may think your past is, the love of God has an answer. 

Conclusion:

This is where things get interesting, and where I must pay attention. I may reject this love now, but it is a love I have to embrace before this earthly phase ends. God does not force Himself on anyone, but there are very terrible consequences for rejecting the love of God. If Love would draw up a plan for my eternal salvation, bring it down in human form of Jesus, and then God leaving His Spirit in and with me for the journey ahead, these would make it clear that there will be serious consequences if I then turn my back on all that Jesus has done. If I reject Him, who else can plead my case when eternity beckons? The end of gift is eternal life with God, and the key to access is belief in Jesus. That is all I am required to do. What's your response going to be? God waits; eternity beckons. God's time of favour is here.