Where We Now Stand
So, I have been contemplating God’s love this past day…
I have been struck (and somewhat disturbed) at the presumption that we as a whole (humanity) can spin an interpretation of God’s love into a justification for our life choices.
“A bad motive can’t achieve a good end;
double-talk brings you double trouble. “ Proverbs 17:20 (MSG)
I wonder if this falls into the criteria for using God’s name in vain.
Is ‘shouting’ about God’s love to further our causes, choices, justifications (excuses) or laziness a true testimony of God’s presence in our lives or a manipulation to further ourselves?
“Unfriendly people care only about themselves;
they lash out at common sense.
Fools have no interest in understanding;
they only want to air their own opinions.” – Proverbs 18:1-2 (NLT)
How often do we take a morsel from His Word (out of context from it’s surrounding message) and apply it to our needs instead of taking in the full message and ask for our understanding to be expanded to see the fullness of His Word and the manifestation of His Truth in our daily lives?
We were created to be in friendship with God and because of the death of our Savior our friendship is restored…
“For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.” – Romans 5:10 (NLT)
…how true are we to this friendship?
Do we communicate with Him with an ear to hear? Is our hearing conditioned to filter His responses? With what learned form of measure do we attempt to know the height, width and depth of God? Do we dare to measure/equate His friendship by that which we have experienced in the sinful, earthly realm? Measuring His perfect, eternal love against the temporary, earthbound hurts and moments of glee?
Jesus did not come into this world to become like us in sin, He came into this humanity to die in our place so that we could become like Him.
”Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.” – Philippians 2:5-8 (MSG)
The greatest love is willing to die for those called friends.
”No one has greater love [no one has shown stronger affection] than to lay down (give up) his own life for his friends.” – John 15:13 (AMP)
Should we not be willing to lay down our lives (and our perceptions of what life is supposed to be) for God, our friend?
”And He said to all, If any person wills to come after Me, let him deny himself [disown himself, forget, lose sight of himself and his own interests, refuse and give up himself] and take up his cross daily and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also].” – Luke 9:23 (AMP)
Is this not the basis for the relationship with Him? This puts a whole new reality to ‘best friends forever’.
”Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.” – Romans 5:1-11 (NLT)
There is no need to shout. There is no need to wear your ‘decorated uniform’.
Live out your friendship with God. His Light will shine for others to see, His Truth will ring out for people to hear and His Love will generate harmony and His Peace will prevail within your spirit in every circumstance.
Live in intimacy with Him, your truest friend, and there will be nothing lacking for you to seek filling anywhere else.
“As for me, I will continue beholding Your face in righteousness (rightness, justice, and right standing with You); I shall be fully satisfied, when I awake [to find myself] beholding Your form [and having sweet communion with You].” – Psalm 17:15 (AMP)
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extraordinaryappreciator 