What Manner of Love!

My prayer time this morning began with a line of scriptures parading through my mind. One of which was Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. [i] My goodness, there’s nothing like starting one’s day with an invite to consider the superb quality of God’s love and the great lengths He goes to, to redeem and sustain His own. [ii] These few verses alone were enough to turn an ordinary day in the life of Debbie, into a thank-filled day. They are too doggone good to keep to myself, so without me yammering on about them, I’ll let His Word touch your heart too.

God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. [iii]

According to the predetermined plan of God, Jesus is the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world. [iv]

It was the will of the LORD to bruise Him (Jesus) . . . and make his life an offering for sin. [v]

Those who plotted against Jesus were mere instruments to carry out all that Your hand and Your will and purpose had predestined (predetermined) should occur. [vi]

Jesus said, And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. He and the Father pursue all men, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance. [vii]

In John 10:38 Jesus said, the Father is in me, and I in him, and again in John 14:10, I and the Father are one. That makes God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself . . . “God sought that the world should be reconciled. Man did not seek it. He had no plan for it, he did not desire it. He had no way to effect it. It was the offended party, not the offending, that sought to be reconciled; and this shows the strength of His love.” [viii]

To convince a contrary world of its need for salvation, He sends His Holy Spirit to convict and convince the world concerning sin, and concerning righteousness, and concerning judgment. [ix]

Sadly, not all welcome Him. But to as many as did receive and welcome Him (Jesus), He gave them authority (power, privilege, right) to become the children of God . . . [x]

Such powerful reconciliation is just the beginning. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, it is much more [certain], now that we are reconciled, that we shall be saved (daily delivered from sin’s dominion) through His (resurrection) life. [xi]

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. [xii]

While we work out our salvation with fear and trembling, God is also working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. [xiii]

Not only will He perfect that which concerns me, but He who began a good work within you will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. [xiv]

Love draws—Come unto Me . . . [xv]

Awakened hearts respond—Let Him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! and Draw me away with you and let us run together! [xvi]

Love inflames—Set me like a seal upon your heart, like a seal upon your arm; for love is strong (as passionate) as death, its jealousy as unrelenting as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the LORD. Many waters cannot quench His love, neither can floods drown it . . . “What began with a cry for a kiss, ends with a solar flare of God’s love sealing our heart.” [xvii]

So, with God so passionately loving and drawing and reconciling and restoring, convicting and convincing, giving and empowering and delivering, working in us, perfecting and sealing us until the day when Christ returns, how can we help but wholeheartedly love Him in return and have a thank-filled day?

[i] 1 John 3:1 [ii] 1 John 4:8 [iii] John 3:16 NIV [iv] Revelation 13:8 [v] Isaiah 53:10–11 [vi] Acts 2:23; Acts 4:26–28 AMP [vii] John 12:32; Acts 2:21; 2 Peter 3:9–10 [viii] 2 Corinthians 5:19-Barnes’ Notes on The Bible [ix] John 16:8–11 AMP [x] John 1:12 AMP [xi] Romans 5:8–10 [xii] 2 Peter 1:3 BSB [xiii] Philippians 2:12 KJV, NLT [xiv] Psalm 138:8; Philippians 1:6 [xv] Matthew 11:28–29 [xvi] Song of Solomon 1:2,4 [xvii] Song of Solomon 8:6–7 AMP; The Fire of God’s Love by Brian and Candice Simmons, September 10, 2019