DAILY BYTE
If people had to use one word to describe you, what would it be? A man once asked his two friends the following question, 'What is the one thing you would like people to say about you at your funeral?'
The first almost immediately replied: 'I would like people to say that I was a good provider.'
The second thought for a bit longer and then said: 'I would like people to say that I was a good family man.'
Both then looked back at the man who had originally asked them the question. 'And what you like people to say about you,' they queried.
To which he replied: 'the only thing I want people to say about me at my funeral is - look, he's moving!'
In the whole of the Bible, in all the books written about God, in all the songs and hymns composed, in all the sermons preached and prayers prayed, what is the one word we could use to describe God? If I could take a stab at it, it would be the word 'love.' Throughout Scripture we learn of the amazing love story between God and humanity. The Hebrew Bible tells stories of how God longed to be in relationship with his people, the Psalms sing of God's faithfulness, and the New Testament affirms how Christ lived out the love of God in tangible ways.
If love is such a deep and profound part of the very nature of God, then it stands to reason that if we cannot grasp the reality of God's love for us, we will struggle to draw closer to him. If we cannot accept with humility and wonder the truth that we are God's beloved children, we will probably find ourselves spiritually stunted - unable to grow past a certain point.
What will it take for you to accept God's love for you? I cannot fully explain to you why God loves us. He loves us just because. God loves us because it is part of his nature to love. We cannot earn or deserve this love. It really doesn't matter how few people in this world may love us, or how totally unlovable we may feel, it doesn't change that fact that God still loves us! We should grasp this truth with both hands and run with it. We should let this love inspire and transform us.
Let me end by asking you the same question I began with - if people had to use one word to describe you, what would it be? Think about this for a while especially in the light of what we have discussed. Does the fact that the creator of the universe has chosen the word 'love' to describe his nature challenge you to change in any way? How would you change if you could accept deep within yourself, that you are God's beloved child?
PRAY AS YOU GO
Holy and Almighty God. You are our creator and our saviour. You are our God and our friend. For this we give thanks. We pray that our hearts would be opened every more deeply to your extravagant love. We pray also that we would be changed and transformed by that same love. In Jesus name. Amen.
FOCUS READING
John 4:16 (NIV)
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
