Awesome Love

I think I can remember memorizing John 3:16. It was among the first verses my parents taught me to recite. It becomes a familiar verse to every Christian and to some who never enter into that wonderful relationship. But to memorize any verse concerning the love God has for us does not even begin to reveal the depth of that love. We can marvel at this awesome love but as mortals we cannot comprehend a love that is far greater than anything we are capable.

The love God has for us began before the foundation of the earth. It began before any creation for Jesus was designated the Lamb of sacrifice and was slain! We cannot understand that process is not necessary to God for He is I AM. God created process for us in our limitation but He reveals His instantaneous provision by His Word concerning our healing. I Peter 2:24 (NASB)and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

Only God knows what is necessary to create man in His image. From the beginning of man's creation, we can see that God only demanded from man a faith that would identify with His Word. Even now, though we have so much more opportunity to "possess" His Word in Bibles, books, study helps, and churches, we are incapable of identifying with God in His unsearchable vastness. We cannot even grasp the concept of eternity with no beginning or ending, how can we grasp a God that fills ALL space? Or that He loves us with an everlasting love and that nothing can separate us from that love?

We can grasp these concepts through the processing and keeping of covenant. Only a failure to respond to a covenant demand could activate the curse of a covenant. No other action could do that. So when God makes a covenant with man, only the failure to respond to His covenant can activate the curse of the separation or death. God sets out the conditions of a covenant and its limits. John 3:16 (KJV)For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. God makes the "limit" of covenant to whosoever believes.

Adam understood covenant for God was teaching him. He understood that when God said he could not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, that this was a covenant "expectation". He was not the one Satan approached, but he failed to cover Eve and keep her from going against God's covenant Word, so the curse came from Adam's disobedience or failure to give a covenant response.

This is why Jesus came. Our flesh limits our response to God. Our spirit is willing, but our flesh is weak. So God sent Himself to take our place and be the creation. He showed us not only what was expected but what the creation of God is. In other words, He not only came fulfilling all covenant expectation of God, but He showed us what man in God's image is to be. God came as the only begotten Son. Not the only son, for we are adopted through the Blood of Jesus to be heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus. Through His sacrifice, we become children in a Royal Family. Through our obedience and identity with His Word, we are being matured into sons doing the work of the Father.

What love God has manifested to us. What love yet remains to be manifested.

I John 3:1-3 (ASV) 1 Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. For this cause the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is. 3 And every one that hath this hope set on him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

When Jesus appeared to Saul, a change began that was not limited to a name change to Paul. There was a continuing manifestation of Jesus to Paul until he became the Apostle who still ministers to us through his letters. It takes the Holy Spirit manifesting the Word to us to bring the maturity we need. But all of this is provided in the Love of God for He is continually pouring out His love on us. Let everything that happens to you be surrendered to His Love for you through the Blood of the Lamb. Even if Satan means it for harm, God's love for you will see that it is changed to good.

Romans 8:28-32 (NLT)28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. 31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can be against us?
32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?