Saturday 09 January 2010

Background

We end our week with reassurance and hope. To misquote the wordsof an Andrew Lloyd Webber song, 'love really does changeeverything,' and for us love is easy to find. God is there withhands outstretched just waiting to love us.

Some of us find accepting love difficult. Maybe someone has hurt usin the past, maybe we feel we don't deserve love, maybe love meanswe have to take a risk and be vulnerable. All of these barriers arebased in fear - fear of being hurt again, fear that we will bediscovered as unlovable, fear that we will be hurt if we allow loveinto our lives. As humans these fears are normal, and sometimeseven healthy. We should be wary; we should not put ourselvesunnecessarily at risk.

God's love is different. The nature of God is to be perfect soGod's love is perfect. Perfect love drives out fear. When God lovesthere is no judgement, no punishment, and no rejection. God lovesus so much that Jesus, God's son, died to redeem us and sanctify us(see John 3:16). This was so that we couldexperience perfect love. It is logical then to assume that whenjudgement comes God will show justice and mercy to those whom Godloves. This does not mean that we can do whatever we want in thislife, but it does mean that our eternal life is assured. We neednot fear hurt or rejection from God.

To Ponder

God's hands are reaching out to you. What isstopping you from taking it and walking with God?

God wants us to experience love in all areas ofour lives. How can you learn to trust again if you have been hurtby love?

God's love does not include fear. If we haveeternal life, how does this affect the way we live our lives in theworld today?