Compelling Love

From the molecule to the macrocosm and everywhere in between the evidence of God’s amazing creativity is seen.  David writes in Psalm 19, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.” Paul writes that for this reason, no one has an excuse for not believing in God.

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.  (Romans  1:20)

Abraham Lincoln once remarked that he could understand how people could be agnostics if they only looked at their immediate surroundings, but he did not comprehend how anyone viewing the starry heavens on a clear night could help but believe in God.

Pastor Francis Chan, author of the book, “Crazy Love”, recommends that before opening your mouth to pray, take a moment to remember that you are about to speak to the One who created the heaven and the earth, who loves His people with an everlasting love.  He numbered the stars and gave them each a name.  He created you, and if your heart is turned toward Him, you can be sure that he knows you, and your name is written on the palm of His hand.  In Isaiah 49, God speaks of his love for Israel:

Isaiah 49 (NKJV)
14 But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me,
And my Lord has forgotten me.”
15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child,
And not have compassion on the son of her womb?
Surely they may forget,
Yet I will not forget you.
16 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;
Your walls are continually before Me.”

The most amazing and wonderful thing is that God is inviting us to be in an ever growing personal relationship with Him.  Jesus, Yeshua, encouraged us to pray in this way:

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”  (Matthew 7:7-8)

Jesus, Yeshua, made this eternal relationship with God possible by laying down his own life to open the doors of heaven to us:

 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
(John 3:16)

By keeping our eyes on the Lord and trusting in Him to lead and sustain us, we will be victorious in the challenges we face and eternally fruitful in our lives.  Joseph’s triumph in the midst of continual adversity is a wonderful example of overcoming faith.  His jealous brothers sold him into slavery, but he kept his eyes on the Lord, eventually rising to be second in command under the Pharaoh of Egypt.  After the death of Jacob his father, his brothers came to plead for mercy.  He told them:

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. (Genesis 50:20)

Paul is another person who kept his eyes on the Lord and continually won the victory by walking in His love.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

… in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39)

Paul and Silas praised God after being beaten and their feet fastened into stocks in the cold inner cell of the prison.  God responded by setting them free and saving the jailer and his whole family.

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.  Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken.  At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.  The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped.  But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”  The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.  He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved—you and your household.”  Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.  At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized.  The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household. (Acts 16:25-34)

Victory is certain for those who believe in the Savior God has sent and live in a deep and humble partnership with him, walking in his love.  This is Yeshua’s invitation to every believer to enter into that kind of personal and intimate friendship with him:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  (Matthew 11:28-30)

God loves each of his children with an everlasting love.  He calls us to look to Him in the midst of every challenge we face.  If we trust and obey Him we will be fruitful and victorious.  Jesus, Yeshua promises we will be with him in glory, and we will share the love of the Father and of the Son forever.

David Krause, dhkrause@neteze.com, 2/10/2012