HOW GOD LOVES

2 Chronicles 4:1-6:11; Romans 7:1-13; Psalm 17:1-15; Proverbs 19:22-23

“Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices and praised the Lord with these words: ‘He is so good! His faithful love endures forever.’”

“When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produce sinful deeds resulting in death. But now we have been released from the law, for we died with Christ, and we are no longer captive to its power. Now we can really serve God, not in the old way by obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way, by the Spirit.”

“Save me by your mighty hand, O Lord, from those whose only concern is earthly gain.”

“Loyalty makes a person attractive. And it is better to be poor than dishonest.”

I’ve been thinking a lot about love lately. It’s hard not to when you are reading the Bible every day. But I’ve also been teaching a series on marriage and have been putting a little extra effort into making my wife feel loved in the process. Don’t get ahead of me; she has not been my homework assignment per se. But in all honesty, I figured that if I didn’t actually do and use what I was teaching, the lessons weren’t going to have much credibility, and it was likely to be pretty obvious when I was talking about something I did not know from experience. (Isn’t it always?) Anyway, I’ve been doing a few things differently for her, whether she’s noticed it or not. I think I am speaking her love language. But one thing lead to another and, selfish oaf that I am, eventually, my thinking led back to me… and God. Specifically, I got to thinking about how God loves me. I know He does. It’s just that sometimes, I don’t know or recognize how He does it. What I’m saying, I think, is that I suspect I leave a lot of love on the table when I don’t pay attention or actively claim it. Probably, if I was more intentional about seeking and claiming Christ’s love, I would know Him better and appreciate Him more. Just maybe, I would feel better about myself, too. I’m not interested, today, in the universality of the Spirit’s love. Every once in a while, things need to get personal. It’s O.K. to ask what’s in it for me when the answer holds the key to heaven or hell.

Hmm…, let’s see. God loved me first by helping me love others. Left to my own devices. I found that love was, at best, pretty darn inconvenient. I had places to go, things to do and lots of softball to be played, and when I had to think about others, there was just never enough time. But, yuck, the self-centered life is an ugly, lonely life down deep where it counts. Jesus showed me that – somewhat against my will, actually – but then He also gave me many reasons to change. A wife, kids, friends, family: I have a deeper appreciation for all of them since I began needing them. That doesn’t mean “need” in a “needy” way, if you catch my drift. I need them because Christ performed a heart transplant, and this new heart needs something to do besides pump blood.

God’s also loved me by quieting my anxiety. Quieting, not killing, unfortunately, is exactly what I mean. I’m still faced with the same uncertainties as when I began this blog, for example, and maybe even a few more. But I lie awake at 3 AM a lot less now, and when I do, I have something else to think about besides my worries. I’m usually writing a Bible blog. I don’t think that’s coincidental. The early mornings have become, by and large, times of peace and security rather than times of anxiety and strife.

God’s loved me by giving me new chances to grow. They don’t always feel like blessings at first. Some “character building experiences” have given me more character than I wanted. But on the other hand, I’m not easily bored. I enjoy the challenge of change. (Now, there’s a great blog title! Maybe later….) More important, I feel I’m getting a little closer to the me He had in mind in the first place. I’ve quit worrying so much about talent and qualification and have started focusing more on opportunity and calling. It’s a little disconcerting when there’s no match between calling and talents going in, but it seems that’s usually when and how true gifts get developed. If it was all about us, we probably would not appreciate Jesus’ part in the growth. Our reach needs to exceed our grasp, and I am glad we have a loving Creator who has understood that from the beginning, even when we much things up in the process.

Oh, I’ve just gotten started. Simply asking the question has started an internal dialogue that could go on for pages. But there’s personal, and then there’s personal. If I need to come back to this, I trust the Spirit will let me know. I don’t know if today’s entry will be helpful to anyone else, but it’s been a hoot to write. I certainly hope it doesn’t turn anyone off, because the very point is that blessings and love are very personal things. Our Abba (Daddy) knows just how to love each one of us individually, and no two “packages” are the same. What’s important is that each of us knows there is a package with our name written on it. Christ is just waiting on us to claim the Gift and begin unwrapping it. He knows, better than we ever will, that it is indeed more blessed to give than to receive!