Oh, How He Loves Us

Lake Yellowstone, Yellowstone National Park - Because I miss it.

{Remember a couple of weeks ago? My heart was full, but there were no words yet. They are finally starting to come.}

We love because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19

That verse has been playing back in my head every day for the last week. It’s as if Jesus sat me down and said, “ Look, I KNOW you know in your head I love you. I KNOW you’re striving to love me. But STOP! Wait on Me. Be still. Let ME love you. My love goes beyond the day I took on your sin. It goes beyond the day I conquered death. It’s living and active today, and you need to let Me love you.”

So He started by talking to me about condemnation. (Because He like to mess with my head like that. I’m telling you, He has a sense of humor.)

There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh (Rom 8:13)

For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. … Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (Heb 10:14, 19-22)

Uh, I have been perfected. For all time?! I have been given every right to drawn near to the Holy of Holies with a true heart. He removed every obstacle in the way of me abiding with Him. Yes!

But there’s more! Not only does He WANT me in His presence completely covered by Him. The Father is glorified by this! Remember John 15?

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart me you can do nothing. … By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. (John 15:5,8)

Apart from me you can do nothing. We love because He first loved us. I am completely in God’s hands, and it is a good place to be.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man that takes refuge in him! … The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned. Ps 34:8,22