"We love because He first loved us."
1 John 4:19 (NRSV)
Prodigal Thoughts: Have you ever loved someone, I mean truly and deeply cared for someone, but you just knew the love and sincere care was not mutual? Such heartache and emotions of being misunderstood causing you to be distraught. What about this? Have you ever loved someone and hoped they would love you in return? I’m talking, holding out hope beyond all hope that they would begin to see you the way you see them? That’s sort of where God is. You see, He loved us first. If He knows the number of hairs on our head and all of the specific details of each of us, wouldn’t you think He would love us with an outrageous type of love? So, did He create us to love Him back? Yes, but He gives us the choice to love Him back. I wouldn’t say He demands our love in a sense that no matter our beliefs, we either love Him or we’re out of "the will", but He does certainly hope for our love to be returned. Here is another amazing thought. God knows that we could never love Him as much as He loves us. Why? Well, He is infinite and loves out of the purity and holiness of His heart. Without His help through the spiritual transforming work that the Holy Spirit does through us as we devote our lives to living the example of Christ, we would have NO WAY POSSIBLE to love Him as much as He loves us. So, get this!!! As we surrender our lives to living a life according to His word, He gives us the love, grace, mercy, and all the other things we need to love Him back. That is an amazing kind of love right there, folks.
Prayer for today: Father, thank you for loving us as deeply and excitedly as you do. Thank you for not giving up on us even when we want to give up on ourselves or even You. Thank you for giving us a way back to You through the work and life of Christ. May we constantly pursue You with reckless abandon and love others as You have loved us. Amen.
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God’s grace on you…
Prodigal Mike~
Prodigal Thinker 