What Manner part 3
In order to understand what manner of love the Father has towards us... we need to SEE Him as Father. And ourselves as Son(s). That's what the Holy Spirit is all about. You know, the Spirit of Truth. That leads us into all truth. The truth that God is love, and He loves you. And the Holy Spirit does that by testifying of our true selves... by testifying of Jesus. Look at Galatians 4:6 (NLT), "And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, "Abba, Father."" The Holy Spirit--our love receptor--is what prompts, or equips and empowers, us to call Him Father. Daddy. And not just call Him that... but KNOW Him as that. But let me just say real quick--the Holy Spirit is not something that all of a sudden allowed God to love us. He IS love. He always has and always will love us. The Holy Spirit--again, our love receptor--is what allows US to know and believe His love. The love that has always been there. God loving us is nothing new. God didn't need the cross to love us. WE needed the cross to begin to understand His love. Remember Ephesians chapter 3 speaking of the height, and depth, and length, and breadth of His love? The only way to truly understand that love is by experiencing it. And we experience love by giving it away. Because love IS giving. Giving everything you have and everything you are without worrying about what comes next. Giving it gladly. Even though it seems like the more we love... the less we are loved. And I said it seems like it because that's not the truth. Our approval doesn't come from man. It comes from God. People will mistreat you. Your heavenly Father won't. People will question your motives. God knows your heart. Because its HIS heart. Beating with love. In your chest. That agape love. That sacrificial, laying your life down for your friends love. So watch this: "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is" (1 John 3:2). Seeing is believing. When He appears... love appears. Because God is love. And when love appears, we shall be like love. For we shall see love as He is. We ARE His Son(s), but we're still coming into the fulness of what that means. We know who we are, but every day we learn how to BE who we are. As He--Jesus, LOVE--reveals Himself to us. And in us. And through us. And by the way, that's what manner of love He has for us. Taking us by the hand and leading us step by step into Himself. Into OUR true selves. Making everything He has and everything He is--everything LOVE has and everything LOVE is--availabe to us. Preparing a table for us in the presence of our enemies. And then ringing the dinner bell. The Spirit and the bride say, "Come," right? Come and get it. Because its (HE'S) not a love that demands its (HIS) own way. Its not a pushy love. But it is a powerful love. A life-changing love. A love that reveals things to be in Divine Order. Those things you're worried about? You don't need to. Because your heavenly Father has your back. He loves you. And He's not afraid to prove it. Not afraid to show you. Not afraid to lavish you with His love. But that's for tomorrow...