Listen and Live part 3
Three words. Eight letters. Probably the most powerful thing one person can say to another. "I love you." And yet, when we hear it, it almost seems like we immediately want to dismiss it. Because it seems like its too good to be true. We don't often see ourselves as worthy of love. So even though its the most basic human desire... even though its the entire reason we were created--to be loved and to love each other with that love--even though we look for love in all the wrong places and try everything we can think of in order to "get" it... we seem to have a big problem actually receiving it. Thank God for the Holy Spirit, right? The Spirit of truth that leads and guides us into all truth. That leads and guides us into the truth that God loves us. Always has and always will. And that, my friends, is why faith comes from hearing the Word (which is Jesus, which is love) of God. Because God has only ever said one thing. One Word. In the beginning He said, "Let there be light." He interjected something powerful into the darkness. Something that in fact makes (MADE) the darkness flee. When we were dark, and void, and without form He filled us up. With Himself. He dealt out THE measure of faith by giving us something (someONE, Jesus, love) to believe in. That's one of the reasons Jesus died on the cross; to prove to us that God would literally rather die than be without us. When we were yet sinners (unbelievers) and had nothing to offer... God gave us everything He had. He wanted the best FOR us, so He gave the best TO us. He wanted us to have LIFE, and that more abundantly. So He gave us His only begotten Son, so that we might know ourselves AS His Son(s). So that we might know HIM as Father. So that we might receive that gift of God that is eternal life. That is knowing the Father through the context of being His Son. So that we might know that we are loved... and in that way we might love. Because you can't give what you don't have. And you can only give what you do have. Hurting people hurt people. But loved people love people. What you know and believe is inside you WILL come out. It has to. Because its too big to keep bottled up. So we hear that Word, "I love you." The light begins to shine in an otherwise dark and hopeless existence. We give up on the rat race (because who wants to be king rat, really?) when we are presented with a more excellent way. THE Way. The TRUTH. And the Life. Jesus. God in the flesh. Love in a body. God in YOUR flesh. Love in YOUR body. And when we hear that Word, "I love you," something leaps within us. Much like in Luke 1:41, "And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost." The right word, in the right season, from the right person, can really fill you up. It can spark a Holy Ghost wildfire that burns and burns and consumes everything but itself (Himself). And here's the best part: What if we hear that Word, and DON'T believe it? Or grab it, but then let the cares of the world choke it away? What happens is this: God says it again. "I love you." And again. "I love you." With every beat of HIS heart in OUR chests, that still small voice tells us exactly what we need to hear. Because love isn't just what God DOES. Love is who God IS. And WHO God loves... is you!