The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"A Heart Like This"
We are all blessed to know unselfish people who live their lives for others. The beauty of such character graces our lives with glories that originate and forever proceed in Another, whose heart exists not as a black hole drawing all things into itself, but rather as a shining sun of light radiating outward to provide light and warmth for others.
"God is love" (I John 4:8).
"Charity (love) suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own" (I Corinthians 13:4-5).
"The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give His life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28).
Someone exists who has never had a self-centered, egotistical moment in His eternal existence, nor will He ever. The living and true God bears such a heart of devotion to others. This glorious wonder comprises His triune being of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. If "God is love," and if love seeketh not her own," our thoughts of each Person of the godhead must be filled with contemplation of perfectly unselfish dedication to one another. The Father loves the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Son loves the Father and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit loves the Father and the Son. This is love in its eternally holy and glorious reality of otherness.
"The Father loveth the Son…I love the Father… the fruit of the Spirit is love" (John 3:35; 14:31; Galatians 5:22).
Do we view God in the light of such goodness, greatness, and glory? We must. Biblical truth and understanding requires the awareness. Our experience with the Lord also flows upon the current of knowing Him as He is. Nothing more establishes and maintains our response to God than this prime truth of His character and nature. "We love Him because He first loved us" (I John 4:19). Indeed, knowing that God cannot act selfishly greatly illuminates our understanding of His doings found in the pages of Scripture, and also written on the pages of our lives. Whether in bestowing tender mercies upon the humble, or executing necessary wrath upon the wicked, every act of God must be interpreted in the light of His eternally abiding unselfishness. Moreover, from our conception and forevermore, we must realize the same truth personally applied governs our Father's heart and hand regarding our lives. "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us" (I John 3:16).
I think of this sometimes (and I desire to do so more often), that the God we trust exists in perfectly unselfish devotion to others, and wondrously, to myself. The thought stops me in my tracks. It stills my heart with wonder. It drives me to my face in awe. How can such a One be? We have no frame of reference for a Heart like this. Well, perhaps we do. Because for those who trust the Lord Jesus, the love of God for us came to us, and now dwells within us (Jeremiah 31:3; Titus 3:4; Romans 5:5). As mentioned, I have seen this glorious reality in countless brothers and sisters, not perfectly yet, but nevertheless so beautifully manifested by loving self sacrifice that I know what I am seeing. I know Who I am seeing. What a wonder, and what joy to know that today we walk with this Lord who has never once been guided by a selfish thought or motivation. Nor will He ever. Yes, a Heart like this beats within the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Through His freely given presence, it beats within those who trust the Lord Jesus, beautifully fulfilling the ancient plea of the Psalmist…
"And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us."
(Psalm 90:17)
"The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit which is given unto us."
(Romans 5:5)
"Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children, and 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 5:1-2)
Weekly Memory Verse
"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."
(I John 5:4)
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