The Love of Christ part 1
I asked my son, Logan, what I should Rant about today and he said, "God... love... you know, all that good stuff." And I said, "Okey dokey, little buddy." And I couldn't keep the smile off my face. Because I feel like in a very large way I've already succeeded with him. Every night when we say our prayers I ask him three questions: Who is God? What's His name? Where does He live? And Logan answers: Love. Jesus. In your heart. That's what was important to me to teach my son about "theology." The rest of it... I try to let him know the truth contained in Romans 8:38 (NLT), "And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow--not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love." Which is the answer to the question posed in Romans 8:35 (NLT), "Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?" In the KJV it phrases it, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" And the answer, in a word, is nothing. I make absolute sure to let my son know that even when I get mad (yes, I get mad sometimes) I still love him. I make sure to let him know that no matter what, Dad's got his back. Nothing can separate him from the love of Christ. Nothing can separate US from our heavenly Father's love. And, as we go along in this Rant series, we're going to see that when we understand the New Commandment (for a New Man, walking in newness of life)... when we understand what it means to love one another as Christ loves us... that means that nothing can separate us from each other! We are connected on a deep level. The heart. Different branches of the same tree. Different parts of the same body. But, like I said, that's the next couple of days. And even though I always DO get ahead of myself, I don't WANT to. So my thought for today: What's important? What matters? What should I Rant about. God, and love, and all that good stuff. And the strength of God's love. And the reason that that love is so strong. Here's why it's so strong: Because HE is the One holding on to us! I've heard it said, "When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on." And I like that. But when we turn our attention and our focus away from ourselves and onto God (where it belongs) what we find is that the "rope" isn't a rope at all. It's a vine. And, again, we are the branches. The vine is what supports us, not the other way around. We think we're hanging (for dear life, sometimes) but really God is hanging on to us. And He will NEVER let go. He will NEVER leave us nor forsake us. NOTHING can separate us from the love of God, because the love of God is only dependent on one thing: God. Even that New Commandment--we are to love as HE loves us. If He wants us to love a lot... He has to first love us a lot. He fills us up to overflowing and then it comes out naturally. That's what's important. That's what matters. That's what it's all about. Even my five year old son knows that!