Category: love

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Jeremiah wrote these words in the middle of his Lamentations, showing that even in the midst of sorrow and distress we can remember God’s love and faithfulness and be encouraged. “Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep.” (Psalm 36:5-6)

I wish you could see the African skies of Namibia. We saw rainbows, beautiful clouds, and spectacular sunsets. But the night sky was just as awesome. As I gazed at the stars that cannot be seen in our hemisphere, I recalled God’s word to me one sleepless night in the midst of battling cancer. “I am the One who ordered the universe and set every star in place. And I have created your body; every cell is in My hand.” Such a truth does not mean we will live forever on this earth, but it reminds us of Who is in control. And His love is greater than the heavens… His faithfulness reaches even beyond the African skies. This is who God is… and He cannot change.

I got to share about God’s faithfulness with a small group of missionaries one evening on our trip. After I sat down, the leader of the mission, a native of Namibia, reaffirmed the importance of remembering the character of God. “So many times in the last nine years, I have wanted to quit and take my family back home. It is so hard sometimes to go on. But I always remember the verse the Lord gave us when He sent us here: ‘The One who calls you is faithful and He will do it.’”

God wants us to trust Him in all things, even in those areas that some people might think insignificant. My greatest fears while in a foreign country (with good reason I might add) are getting lost and having an accident while driving. I think Jesus, the Master Teacher, keeps giving me opportunities to grow in trust and to overcome fear. The challenge in Namibia was driving on the wrong side of the road. Almost everything is backwards! The driver sits on the wrong side, he shifts gears with the wrong hand, and he must remember that traffic flows the opposite direction. Thankfully, the clutch, brake, and gas pedals were in the same order (or I think I would have died!). Since I am writing this, you know we made it back safely and I thank so many of you for praying. While my confidence grew after driving about a thousand kilometers, I admit my faith is not what it should be. But Paul reminds us to look beyond our own weaknesses to the One who is perfect. “If we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” (II Timothy 2:13)

How do we thank such a faithful One? We can never repay Him, and God does not expect us to. But the Father is pleased as we simply present ourselves to Him, having confidence in who He is and loving the One who first loved us.

“Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.” Psalm 63:3-8

Each year The Voice of the Martyrs puts out a map of the world showing the places where Christians are severely persecuted. It is interesting that most of the countries in south Asia impacted by the earthquake and tsunami are nations where scores of Christians have been mistreated and killed over the past several years.

Does the God who brought His wrath on the nations of old who harmed His people still rise up in anger? Does God still judge nations? While numerous dire prophecies were spoken to nations that mistreated Israel, we know that God’s people received the most warnings and the most discipline. A loving Father disciplines those He loves. In sharing about the wrath that would come against all godlessness and wickedness, Paul quickly makes Roman Christians examine themselves: “You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So, when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?” (see Romans 1 and 2)

How easily the attitude of Jonah can creep in! “When God saw what they (the people of Nineveh) did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened. But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. He prayed to the Lord, ‘O Lord, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, O Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.’”

World Vision, Compassion International, Gospel for Asia, Open Doors, Campus Crusade for Christ, Samaritan’s Purse, and Youth With a Mission are just a few of the many organizations rushing to the devastated countries in the name of Jesus. A cup of clean water, clothes for the naked, food for the hungry, care for the sick, comfort for the grieving, and love for the lost… this is the kindness of God.

The last time our friend from India, Pastor Nag, visited Atlanta, he asked that we join him and his fellow workers in praying that two million people in his state would come to know Jesus in 2005. He called this week, mourning the fact that 15 of his brothers and sisters are still missing from the storm, but excited that people who have never known the love of Christ may have a chance to see Him. He believes two million souls can be saved.

I confess I don’t always get as excited as I should about such prayers. Surely it is because I think too much about the temporal rather than the eternal. “Lord, help me to look beyond the external and see souls. Lord, help me to think like You do. Lord, let your kindness and love lead the lost to repentance. Empower your servants to take care of the hurting and let Jesus be known. And don’t let me have the wrong attitude of Jonah.”

“Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God…” Romans 11:22

Is it possible to care for a person with a father’s heart? Just out of college, many of my students looked older than I did, but I was their leader. Even though I was a teacher, a coach, and an administrator, in my early years, I don’t think I understood a father’s heart. Perhaps I was too young.

Now that I am a little older, I think I see with different eyes. As a coach, it is often tempting to view a young person as simply an athlete. Good coaches often help players improve in a game, but a father’s heart has higher concerns. Skill doesn’t matter quite as much… character does. Wins may not be quite as important… maturity is.

Of course, it sure helps being a father. For over sixteen years I’ve been a dad, and I think I’ve made about every mistake. How I need wisdom from above! But despite my weaknesses, I know my heart toward my children. I love them dearly, and I want what is best for them.

So if I am evil, and I still have such a heart toward my children, what about God? He has the ultimate Father’s heart, for He is the perfect Father. We present many requests to this invisible One, but do you know what He most wants to give? Himself! Oh to fathom the love He has for His children!

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God! And that is what we are!” I John 3:1

“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Luke 11:11-13

Jesus made the relationship between love for Him and obedience very clear. “If you love Me, you will do what I say.” We sometimes would rather there be other criteria. On the great day, many will try to defend themselves. “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?” “I never knew you,” will be His stunning reply. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven.”

The great news for all of us who often find our love lacking is the promise Jesus gives His disciples. He knows we’re not much different than Peter. There is no doubt Peter disobeyed as he denied Jesus three times. Later, he was upset that Jesus kept asking if he loved Him. Peter loved Him with a friend’s love, but God is after more. Jesus’ greatest command is troubling to all who take the time to think about it. “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” Who can obey this call?

Only the Holy Spirit makes such love possible. As Jesus tells the truth about those that love Him, notice the promise He makes to help us obey. “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

“If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him… If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.” John 14:15-24

Certain places are stamped in our memories. I visited such a place this past week when we went home for Thanksgiving. A little over two years ago, outside an old barn, I told my dad I had cancer. However long I live, I’ll always remember that time and place. A distant onlooker wouldn’t have noticed anything special about a conversation between father and son, but, in reality, something very deep took place. To an increased degree, I cherish every moment I spend with my dad… and I imagine he cherishes every moment he spends with me.

The prophet, Malachi, predicted the day the hearts of fathers and children would turn to one another: “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.” (Malachi 4:5-6) In this intriguing prophecy, God communicates His heart as a Father. When Jesus came to earth, He lived out the relationship God wants to have with all His children.

In our Christian journey, if we fail to see the place of “relationship” in God’s salvation, we miss the Father’s heart. God, who already knows us, wants us to know Him. He desires fellowship. Jesus knew this was why He came to earth. “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

Some might suggest such “relationship” talk just leads to laziness. Aren’t we to be about the work of the Kingdom? But what does intimate relationship produce? I don’t think there’s a thing I wouldn’t do for my dad… and he’s already done everything for me. It was “relationship” that allowed the perfect Son to do anything His Father asked. And though God allowed His Son to suffer immensely, Jesus proved we can trust this perfect Father with all our hearts.

May the fathers know the children; may the children know the fathers; and may the sheep know the Good Shepherd.

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep.” John 10:14-15