"I Am For You"

In yesterday's message, we referenced the truth that God is a being without need. He is self existent, self fulfilled, and self sufficient. "From everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God" (Psalm 90:2).

This is cause for much joy and peace in the hearts of born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, particularly in regard to our relationship with Him. There is no parasitical aspect in our Heavenly Father's involvement with us, that is, He is able to be completely for us because His love for us is unencumbered by need. "Charity (love)... seeketh not her own" (I Corinthians 13:5). No other relationship in our lives offers such purity of devotion, and thus only God can safely serve as the primary harbor of our hearts. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment" (Matthew 22:37-38).

In even the healthiest and most godly human relationships in our lives, there is a self interest that cannot be completely avoided. The love of God dwells in the hearts of believers, of course, and by the Holy Spirit we can profoundly devote ourselves to the needs of family, friends, and those with whom we live, work, and minister (Romans 5:5). We are not yet perfected, however, and still live with fleshly human members and capacities that are naturally geared toward selfishness. "The flesh lusteth against the spirit" (Galatians 5:17). There is an element of mutual parasitism in every human bond, and one of the most important prayers we can pray is that the love of the Lord Jesus will increasingly lead and enable us in our relationship with every person in our lives. Thereby, we will more and more experience and express the "I am for you" sensibility of Divine love. "Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savor" (Ephesians 5:2).

One reason that Heaven will be Heaven is that every person there will be glorified in the perfect selflessness of our Savior. There will no parasitism in that blessed place governed by the Father who gave His beloved Son for those who rebelled against Him. The heart of the Lamb and the Dove will rather beautify the redeemed, and perfect and selfless devotion to God and others will fragrance every relationship. Most importantly, all will know the source and enabling of such love, and all will be forever amazed by the One whose glorious being will require an eternity to survey, admire, cherish, and worship.

"Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not Himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on Me."
(Romans 15:2-3)