When we think of God's love as revealed in the Lord Jesus Christ, we do well to consider its timeless nature and extent.
"Thou lovedst Me before the foundation of the world" (John 17:24).
Forever and ever, the Father has loved the Son, the Son has loved the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit has completed the circle, as it were, of triune devotion, affection, and commitment. This is love in its essence, the glory of which comprises the great and eternal Relationship that existed when nothing else did. "From everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God" (Psalm 90:2). Indeed, it is more important and spiritually consequential to know that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit love each other than it is to know that They love us (it is Biblically accurate and permissible, by the way, to reference the one God in plural terms - Genesis 1:26; 3:22; John 17:11). Such understanding provides the God-centered rather than man-centered perception of love that helps deliver us from our tendency to emphasize ourselves in even so sublime a matter as love.
When our children were small, Frances and I adopted the determination that it was more important that they know she and I loved each other than that we loved them. Certainly, we didn't fail to emphasize our devotion to them, but we believed their security rested primarily in the assurance that only death could sever our marriage relationship. I told them openly and decisively: "If you're going to worry about anything, don't let it be that Mom and I will ever not love each other or separate. Because I promise you it will not happen." In times such as these, that was a bold and audacious claim perhaps, but the Lord honored and enabled us to fulfill it. I believe the assurance provided a foundation of love and assurance for our children that serves them until this day. More importantly, I believe it reflects the truth of this consideration, namely, that the relationship between the Persons of the triune God serves as the redeeming and assuring bond that establishes and maintains our hearts in peace. Again, it is more important to know that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit love each other than it is to know that They love us. Such blessed truth means there will always be a safe harbor for our hearts, a refuge of devotion that provides the illumination for which our hearts were made...
"In Thy light shall we see light."
(Psalm 36:9)
"The Father loveth the Son... I love the Father... The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which He hath which is given unto us."
(John 3:35; 14:31; Romans 5:5)
"Thou lovedst Me before the foundation of the world" (John 17:24).
Forever and ever, the Father has loved the Son, the Son has loved the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit has completed the circle, as it were, of triune devotion, affection, and commitment. This is love in its essence, the glory of which comprises the great and eternal Relationship that existed when nothing else did. "From everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God" (Psalm 90:2). Indeed, it is more important and spiritually consequential to know that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit love each other than it is to know that They love us (it is Biblically accurate and permissible, by the way, to reference the one God in plural terms - Genesis 1:26; 3:22; John 17:11). Such understanding provides the God-centered rather than man-centered perception of love that helps deliver us from our tendency to emphasize ourselves in even so sublime a matter as love.
When our children were small, Frances and I adopted the determination that it was more important that they know she and I loved each other than that we loved them. Certainly, we didn't fail to emphasize our devotion to them, but we believed their security rested primarily in the assurance that only death could sever our marriage relationship. I told them openly and decisively: "If you're going to worry about anything, don't let it be that Mom and I will ever not love each other or separate. Because I promise you it will not happen." In times such as these, that was a bold and audacious claim perhaps, but the Lord honored and enabled us to fulfill it. I believe the assurance provided a foundation of love and assurance for our children that serves them until this day. More importantly, I believe it reflects the truth of this consideration, namely, that the relationship between the Persons of the triune God serves as the redeeming and assuring bond that establishes and maintains our hearts in peace. Again, it is more important to know that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit love each other than it is to know that They love us. Such blessed truth means there will always be a safe harbor for our hearts, a refuge of devotion that provides the illumination for which our hearts were made...
"In Thy light shall we see light."
(Psalm 36:9)
"The Father loveth the Son... I love the Father... The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which He hath which is given unto us."
(John 3:35; 14:31; Romans 5:5)
No comments:
Post a Comment