The Essence of God’s Love
First, I begin by saying: Happy Valentine! That is if you are reading this reflection in February. Valentine is special to many persons because it is a day marked for the celebration of love. The day is meant to remind us about the sacrifice others and we make to truly experience love that nurtures and brings hope and every good thing to humanity. It is in celebrating love that reminds us of the essence of God’s love.
The essence of God’s love is to bring us into the light; to create, to bring life; to make fruitful and bring into abundance. This can be substantiated by the account of Genesis 1 & 2. God brings forth light from darkness; he creates and brings life; make fruitful and brings into abundance. God does this because he is love and the essence of his creation was to show the love that he personifies. Psalm 36 gives an insight into this love of God
Click below to read psalm 36
21 Day Lighting Experience – Psalm 36 (GNT)
Human Wickedness
Sin speaks to the wicked deep in their hearts; they reject God and do not have reverence for him. 2 Because they think so highly of themselves, they think that God will not discover their sin and condemn it. 3 Their speech is wicked and full of lies; they no longer do what is wise and good. 4 They make evil plans as they lie in bed; nothing they do is good, and they never reject anything evil.
The Goodness of God
5 Lord, your constant love reaches the heavens; your faithfulness extends to the skies. 6 Your righteousness is towering like the mountains; your justice is like the depths of the sea. People and animals are in your care. 7 How precious, O God, is your constant love! We find[b] protection under the shadow of your wings. 8 We feast on the abundant food you provide; you let us drink from the river of your goodness. 9 You are the source of all life, and because of your light we see the light. 10 Continue to love those who know you and to do good to those who are righteous. 11 Do not let proud people attack me or the wicked make me run away. 12 See where evil people have fallen. There they lie, unable to rise.
As the psalmist reveals the height and constancy of God’s love in verse 5, he also remarks that God cares for both people and animals. This love is precious and springs forth goodness. If we may assess ourselves, how precious is God’s love to us. Do we acknowledge, appreciate or even show goodness in return? When we do good and act in righteousness, we are simply expressing our acknowledgement and appreciation for God’s love. Yes, we are only loving in return as God has commanded; or in order to please God.
This love of God, as the Psalmist would further explain, provides us with goodness: protection, providence, abundance and life, above all, to experience the light. The essence of God’s love is to bring us into the light. We are children of light and not children of darkness. God’s continues to love his children, who know him and brings them to himself. This is Jesus’ desire for his disciples in the Gospel of John chapter 14.
Click below to reach John Chapter 14
21 Day Lighting Experience – John Chapter 14
The Promise of the Holy Spirit 15 “If you love me, you will obey my commandments. 16 I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, who will stay with you forever. 17 He is the Spirit, who reveals the truth about God. The world cannot receive him, because it cannot see him or know him. But you know him, because he remains with you and is[e] in you. 18 “When I go, you will not be left all alone; I will come back to you. 19 In a little while the world will see me no more, but you will see me; and because I live, you also will live. 20 When that day comes, you will know that I am in my Father and that you are in me, just as I am in you. 21 “Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. My Father will love those who love me; I too will love them and reveal myself to them.” 22 Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “Lord, how can it be that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and my Father and I will come to them and live with them. 24 Those who do not love me do not obey my teaching. And the teaching you have heard is not mine, but comes from the Father, who sent me. 25 “I have told you this while I am still with you. 26 The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and make you remember all that I have told you. 27 “Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am leaving, but I will come back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father; for he is greater than I. 29 I have told you this now before it all happens, so that when it does happen, you will believe. 30 I cannot talk with you much longer, because the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me, 31 but the world must know that I love the Father; that is why I do everything as he commands me. “Come, let us go from this place.
Jesus sets up the stage for another revelation. Jesus, the I AM, presents them a puzzling message about his leaving them to the father as well as his union with the father. He also prepares their minds for the three (3) beautiful gifts of Faith, Hope and Love. Faith because Jesus’ revelation of the Father and Himself cannot be comprehended by mere human analogy, it requires the gift of faith.
Jesus presents them hope, as he presents to the disciples the plan for the future: he just revealed to them that he would be going to his father’s house to prepare a place for them. In fact, he expects the disciples to be happy about the news. In addition, Jesus promised them in verses 13 & 14 that the disciples should ask him of anything in his name and he would do it. This is hope for divine connection and intervention. Jesus also presents hope as he promises the coming of the Holy Spirit to help and enlighten them.
Above all, Jesus again leaves them with the message and gift of love. Verse 16, 21 and following, instructs the disciples to love. In verse 23, “Jesus answered him, whoever loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and my Father and I will come to him and live with him.” Similarly, 1 John 4:1-21 and verse 16 explains in his letter that; “God is love and he who abides in God abides in love.” The compulsion to love was mention yesterday. In case you didn’t follow us in the Reflection of Day 13, Jesus’ teaching or commandment to the disciples was simple in John 13:34 “And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, you must love one another.” The repetition was for emphasis for the disciples (including you and me) to take seriously this message to love one another. Jesus commands us to love; it is necessary we love so that we can abide with God.
- What is the essence of the love we share with others?
- Is it in response to Jesus’ command to love one another?
- Do you truly love one another the way Jesus expects?
- Will God be pleased with the kind of love that you share?
- Is your love selfish and/or a covering for your pride?
- Does your love encourage others to experience the light of God?
- Does your love bring peace?
If you are in a relationship and your love does not bring you peace…think again!
We commenced the reflection with an understanding of the Essence of God’s love. Essentially, all we have been reading and writing from Day One is centred on love. We cannot have a Lighting Experience without the love of God. The Psalmist draws us into the circle of God’s love and his goodness and disparages the wickedness of man who prides in evil and cannot acknowledge God. We again present John’s passage on Jesus emphasizing on the need to love so that we can abide with God. An express invitation into God’s heart and house. In a way, Jesus presents his Father’s house where there are many rooms (the Kingdom of God), as a symbol of assurance, abundance, salvation and hope. In another way, he encourages us with the presence of the Holy Spirit as a helper to enlighten us. In all, we are assured of a union with God.
In conclusion, God loves us and wants us to love in return. Do we acknowledge or appreciate the love of God? Do we love God in return? Do we understand the essence of the love of God? Can’t we see that the essence of God’s love is to bring us into the light: to create, to bring to life; to make fruitful, to bring into abundance. What do we lose by loving God? Are we considering the essence of God’s command to love one another? Jesus encourages us with the command to love as a resolution or assurance for achieving peace, which the world cannot give. The peace that soothes life and brings a Lighting Experience.
Join us tomorrow, 15th February for Lighting Experience – Day 15
Speechlesswaters
PS
Have you ever considered what the opposite of love is? The opposite of love is hate or hatred. It connotes evil. If we are not loving then what are we doing? Can we now see why it was difficult for the Pharisees to love Jesus? If you are not loving God, then what are you doing? Can you really profit anything from hating God?