Receiving God's Love

 

I grew up and then married into homes with conditional love. As a child, I wished on the first star every night that I would be good, so my parents would love me. As a young bride, I tried to do everything my husband wanted, so I would earn his appreciation and love. As a baby Christian, I made continual lists of every commandment, which I discovered in God’s Word, so that I could earn God’s love.

I strove for half my life to win approval from those I loved. It was ten years after I came to Christ that I finally realized that God’s love is not only a free and unconditional gift, but that it also lasts forever (1 John 3:1). We trust in God’s love for Salvation, and we can trust in His love for every area of our life (Psalm 86:14; Galatians 3:1-3).

We do not need to spend time or energy on trying to earn God’s love (John 3:16, Romans 5:8). Even when we were dead in sin, God’s great mercy and love reached out and saved us (Ephesians 2:4-5; 1 John 4:9-11). Nothing in heaven or earth can separate us from God’s love (Romans 8:35-39). We are crucified with Christ and He loves us too, and gave Himself for us (Galatians 2:20).

We cannot be good enough, holy enough or spiritual enough to deserve God’s love (Hebrews 4:9-12). It is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9). If the Christian walk depended on us, then we would have no need for Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. As we allow the peace and joy of the Holy Spirit to fill our soul and spirit to the point of saturation, we bask in the Sonshine of His love.

Prayer:

Father God, as baby Christians, we continue to experience negative thoughts and attitudes, but we want to have Your mind within us. Remind us to set our boundaries to protect us from the negative people in our lives that tear us down (1 Corinthians 11:1). Please bring us to a place of inner healing and help us to walk in complete serenity through faith in Your goodness (Jobs 34:19). You live in us, rejoice over us with joy, quiet us by Your love and exult over us with singing (Zephaniah 2:17). You diminish all of our fears and insecurities, because You care about us (1 Peter 5:6-7).

 

Since God in us is love, we can love and forgive our self and love one another. – 1 John 4:7-8

 

 

The Least of These

Read: Judges 6&7

“And the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are...” – 1 Corinthians 1:28

The Bible constantly chronicles God’s method of choosing the weak to prove His strength. During the Midianite oppression of Israel, God chose to use Gideon to deliver His people. Scholars tell us that Gideon came from the weakest clan in Manasseh and was the least in his family.

Gideon struggled with God’s call and wavered in his faith. He used an animal’s fleece as a sign, which God miraculously kept wet or dry according to Gideon’s prayer. God did not want Gideon to take credit for the victory against the Midianites. Therefore, before the fighting even began, God used a series of tests and dwindled Gideon’s army down to just three hundred men.

Then, God’s Spirit came upon Gideon and gave him a plan to deliver God’s people. In the midst of all of the bright lights and trumpet blasts, God confused the Midianite army. They ended up warring against one another. Even though the Israelites were outnumbered and had no weapons of war, they won the battle anyway.

When I remember the oppressive circumstances, which make up my past, I recall frequently feeling that they were impossible to overcome. I lost courage so often. I begged God for signs to pump up my faith, just like Gideon did with his fleece. From my years as a new Believer to those now as a veteran child of the King, I can testify with certainty that God always works all things out for my good (Romans 8:28). He will undoubtedly do the same for you, if you will courageously surrender the control of your life to Him, and dare to trust Him with the outcome.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, never let us put our confidence in the multitude of our chariots and in the greatness of our horsemen, but let us always look to You to deliver us (Isaiah 31:1). Remind us that You are faithful to Your children and that You use even the worst of circumstances for our good.

Thought for the Day

When I am my weakest, He is the strongest (2 Corinthians 12:10); and He uses me the most.