Compelling Love

To know God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent is to have eternal life, not only in eternity, but here and now as we grow in companionship with Him.
John 17 (NKJV) 
¹ Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said:
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, ² as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. ³ And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. ⁴ I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. ⁵ And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

God is seeking a personal relationship with us.
“We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

In her poem, “Jesus Is My Hope” (posted 11/28/23 on https://www.facebook.com/linda.milano.77),
the Lord speaks in the last line to author Linda Rose,
“Because I am love, I blotted out all of your sins.”

Romans 5 (NKJV) 
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

William Newell’s hymn, “At Calvary” is a poignant testimony to God’s love.

At Calvary

William R. Newell, 1868-1956       Daniel B. Towner, 1850-1919

1. Years I spent in vanity and pride,
Caring not my Lord was crucified,
Knowing not it was for me He died
On Calvary.

Chorus:
Mercy there was great, and grace was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me;
There my burdened soul found liberty
At Calvary.

2. By God’s Word at last my sin I learned;
Then I trembled at the law I’d spurned,
Till my guilty soul imploring turned
To Calvary.

3. Now I’ve giv’n to Jesus everything,
Now I gladly own Him as my King,
Now my raptured soul can only sing
Of Calvary!

4. Oh, the love that drew salvation’s plan!
Oh, the grace that brought it down to man!
Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span
At Calvary!

In His last supper with the disciples, Jesus spoke of the personal love He desires to have with all of His followers, that they would be not only His servants but friends, loving one another as He loves us.

John 15 (NKJV)
⁹ “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. ¹⁰ If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

¹¹ “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. ¹² This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. ¹⁴ You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. …¹⁷ These things I command you, that you love one another.

God desires to be a personal Friend with each of us, making His home in us.

John 14:23 (NKJV)
Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.”

Commenting on this verse, Rabbi Kirt Schneider writes,
“Beloved one, we need to recognize and surrender to the reality of how close God is. We need to remove any barriers we have established that hinder His love and involvement in our lives. Let’s ask Father to expand our hearts so He can fully make His home within us.”
Schneider, Rabbi Kirt A.. Entering His Presence: A Journey Into the River of God’s Word and Spirit (p. 107). Charisma House. Kindle Edition.

Pastor Tim Sheets in a sermon, “Knowing Him” at Oasis Church, 11/26/2023
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R53dZOG9hdU), teaches on God’s desire to be a companion with us, as our Savior, King and Friend:
“Jesus the Magnificent, Powerful, Almighty One doesn’t want to be distant from you. He wants to be close, a very present help in time of trouble, a very present Savior King friend who keeps his word, the all-powerful One there with us. His desire is to be your companion to walk with you, be your friend. He wants to be your God Savior Friend.”

He prays, “May we understand that and draw into Your Presence through the New Covenant that You made through Your shed blood to cancel out all our sins. We are made clean because this Covenant is made with His sinless body that was broken for us and bled to establish a New Covenant so that we can be forever free. He’s wiping the slate clean for you and you’re free.”

“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36)

“Thank you Lord thank you for your cleansing. Thank you Lord for relationship restored. We thank you Lord for the invitation to walk with You, yes as our Savior, but beyond that we love You Lord as Paul after years of ministry wrote in
2 Timothy 1:2, “… I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.”
Knowing God personally is truly the greatest blessing in life.

David Krause, dhkrause2@gmail.com, https://compellinglove.net/