Open and Honest part 3
From a natural point of view, I don't think there is anything scarier than loving someone. Putting yourself out there. Being vulnerable. Because from a natural point of view if you give something, and don't get something in return... you're left with nothing. But that's not really love at all. Not agape love. Not God love. Not true, perfect love. Because true love is never about getting. It is always about giving. Because love IS giving. When I say that I usually quote John 3:16, and I'm going to do it here again. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Notice a few things: God SO loved the world. And His love was manifested in Him giving. Giving the thing that was most precious to Him. Just like we saw in the story of Abraham and Isaac. But in THAT story--in the type and shadow that was merely pointing to that which would come in it's fulness on the cross--God stopped Abraham's hand. And then He provided Himself as the offering. In the same way that God was in Christ on the cross, reconciling us back to Himself. Because we couldn't get there on our own. And it didn't seem like we particularly wanted to get there. We weren't running to God. We thought He was mad at us. We were afraid of Him. So in the midst of all that He did the only thing He could do--He loved the hell out of us. He showed us what love is by giving His Son to us. By giving HIMSELF to us. By loving us first. By taking that first step. Making that first move. By saying, "I love you. It's ok. You don't have to run anymore. You're safe. I love you." But even then it seems too good to be true. Because I think we're afraid to love a lot of the time... but I also think we're afraid to BE loved a lot of the time. Like, we don't trust it. We figure if someone is acting like they love us that's all it is: an act. Like they must have an ulterior motive. But guys, love doesn't HAVE a motive. Love IS the motive. We don't love because we want something. We love because we have something. And the thing we have is too good to keep to ourselves. So we share it. And that makes it real. But, again, it comes from being open and honest. From getting over our issues, if I can say it that way. I think we all have reasons to believe we're unlovable. The world shouts it at the top of it's lungs. And that can make it hard to hear Daddy's still, small voice. But Daddy's voice is the voice of truth. Daddy gave us something to believe in. And believing that we are His beloved Son in whom He is well pleased is literally the difference between life and death. We know that we are loved, and then we CAN love. That's what it means to live. To live is to love. To love is to live. That's what makes an abundant life... abundant. Abundance is simply being filled to overflowing with love, and letting that love overflow naturally. Being open to love. Knowing and believing the love of Christ. Receiving it and releasing it. That's how we partake of the Divine Nature and that's how we experience everything that's available to us! It's all about love. And it's not scary, when you know where it comes from. When you know that you're connected to the source!