11/28/13
Jesus's love is incredible. It's not the "warm-fuzzies" kind of love but rather it was in what He did. He actually gave up His life so that I could live and be in relationship with the Father. The gravity of what He did is shown in the reason and the circumstances under which He did it. He chose to die for me while I was still a sinner in rebellion against Him. He did not choose to save me because of anything I could give Him in return or because of something I could contribute to the world; I had nothing to offer. Father God decided that I was valuable to Him. His love for me has no beginning, no end, no measurement, and no reason known to man. He loved me, therefore He decided that it was worth it for His Son to die so that I could be saved. This is the love that is referred to in Ephesians 3:16-19, not the warm-fuzzies. This is messy, painful, give-all kind of love, and it is the same love we are called to live in with God and with the people He has made. He is to be our first love. All of my love is for Him. As I give all my love to Him, I am able to experience (not just know about) the abundant fullness of His love toward me. Out of the vast overflow of that love, I am able to love the people around me- including family, friends, and significant others. If I don't give my love first to Him and experience the outpouring of His love to me, I am only left to love others with my own love which will always be flawed and never be enough. But when I elevate Father God above all others and all else, He fills me in turn with His love which is more than enough to share with the people in my life. If I truly want to love others the way I say I do, the best thing I can do is to make them second to God in my life so that out of the fullness of Him, I have something to offer them.