The Father's Love

 Did you ever have someone come and say to you, "God loves you", but were not really sure that He did (does)?  There are many in the church today that have experienced new birth but are not absolutely sure, deep within their heart, that God loves them. Jesus tells us, "For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God." (John 16:27)  In this sentence, Jesus has given us a picture of God the Father's Heart. It is a Father who loves His children; a Father whose heart is reaching out tenderly toward His own family. So, take a moment and meditate on the above verse. What comfort there is in this precious thought, that the God of creation, Almighty God, the Father Himself loves us without condition. This means that even with all the burdens, cares and even our failures that we may carry or experience in this life, the Father Himself loves us. No matter whatever the heartache, whatever the struggle, whatever the secret grief, the heart of God the Father yearns over us.

When believers come to accept the surrounding abounding love of the Father, what peace floods the soul; what courage to fight the battle when every reason for living has gone and death would be a relief. We can take the battle up again and carry it on to victory, because we know that He loves us. As long as we are loved, and as long as we can love, there is a reason for being in the world, but when we cease to love and cease to be the object of 1ove, then the reason for being ends. Look at the Words of Jesus, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him." (John 14:23) This is such a wonderful promise. The Creator of everything seen and unseen, He who has charge of every form of life, every star in the universe, every blade of grass, every flower and tree, He whose ear is open to the heart of every human, will come in and make His home with us.

The heart can hardly take it in. The mind can barely comprehend the fact that the Father and Son will come and dwell with (in) us. Honestly, it does not seem credible that He will live in us but He has promised to do it. (John 14:16) What a blessing, what a wonder, that the Omnipotent God will come into us and make His home. He does this because of His great love. He comes and gives us wisdom to deal with all areas of this life, (Colossians 3:16); to help us in those dark hours when we do not know what to do, (Psalm 18); to strengthen us in our times of weakness, (2 Corinthians 12:9); to give us the ability to know His will, (Colossians 1:9) and much, much more. How the Father's heart yearns for us, craves for us. What a blessing He has bestow upon us, what riches are ours to inherit, what fellowship we can have, all due to the Father's limitless love for us.

Look at just how great the Father's love is for you, "And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them." (John 17:26) The Father loves you even as He loved Jesus. You may not be able to understand it. It may not sound reasonable, but it is true and utterly beautiful to not only think about, but moreover receive it in your heart. Not only is God love (1 John 4:16), but He gives His love nature to us. (1 John 4:7-11) Think about it, if we walk in love, we will never sin. Isn't that wonderful? God's love solves the problem of the human condition. To live in love's realm; to learn love's language; love's methods and love's way, will set us completely free (1 John 4:17-19) and we will speak aloud, "God is love; this God of love is my Father; I am His child and He truly loves me. (1 John 3:1)

So how can I come to know the love of the Father? Learn to think in terms of love. The Apostle Paul tells us, "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things." (Philippians 4:8) Learn to give in to love so that your actions are a reflection of Jesus, who is love. Let the Jesus kind of love reign in your heart until every thought and all of your words will be covered in love. So, today let us declare that we are going to let the love of God rule us in every way, in all that we think, do and say. "Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Romans 5:5) Open your heart and receive God's love today, knowing that "nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ." (Romans 8:39)