How amazing is the love of God

250 how amazing is the love of god

Although I was only 12 years old at the time, I can still vividly remember my father and grandfather, who were very happy about me because I had brought home all `` ones '' (the best grades) in my school report. As a reward, my grandfather gave me an expensive-looking alligator leather wallet and my father gave me a $ 10 note as a deposit. I remember how they both said they love me and are lucky to have me in their family. I also remember taking coins out of the piggy bank and exchanging them for a dollar bill. Together with the $ 1 bill, my wallet looked full. That's when I knew I would feel like a millionaire at the penny candy counter.

Whenever June approaches Father's Day, I think of those gifts (Father's Day is celebrated in many countries on the third Sunday in June). My memory is back and I think of my father, my grandfather and the love of our heavenly Father. But the story goes on.

It had been less than a week since I received the wallet and the money when I lost both. I was completely devastated! They must have fallen out of my back pocket when I was at the cinema with friends. I've searched everything, kept walking my way; but despite several days of searching, the wallet and the money were nowhere to be found. Even now, after around 52 years, I still feel the pain of loss - material value is not my concern, but as gifts from my grandfather and father they meant a lot to me and were of great personal value to me. It is interesting that the pain soon passed, but the beautiful memory of the loving appreciation that my grandfather and father showed me through it stayed alive in me.

As much as I was happy about their generous gifts, it was the love my father and grandfather showed me that I remember so fondly. Doesn't God want us to do the same - that we should embrace the depth and richness of unconditional love with joy? Jesus helps us to understand the depth and breadth of this love by bringing it closer to us with the parables of the lost sheep, the lost penny and the prodigal son. These parables are recorded in Luke 15 and illustrate Heavenly Father's passionate love for his children. The parables refer to the incarnate Son of God (Jesus) who came to us, sought us out to take us home to his Father. Jesus not only reveals his Father to us, he also reveals the Father's longing to enter into our lostness and to bring us into his loving presence. Because God is pure love, he will never cease to call our names in his love.

The Christian poet and musician Ricardo Sanchez put it this way: The devil knows your name, but speaks to you about your sins. God knows your sins, but addresses you by name. Our Heavenly Father's voice brings His Word (Jesus) to us through the Holy Spirit. The Word condemns, overcomes, and sends the sin within us (as far away as the east is from the west). Instead of judging us, the Word of God proclaims forgiveness, acceptance, and sanctification.

When our ears (and hearts) are focused on the living Word of God, we can understand His written word, the Bible, as God intended. - And his intention is to convey to us the message of love that he has for us.

This is evident in Romans chapter 8, one of my favorite scriptures. It begins by declaring, "There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8,1). She concludes with a powerful reminder of God's everlasting, unconditional love for us: "For I am sure that neither death nor life, neither angels nor mights nor powers, neither present nor future, neither high nor low, nor any other creature can separate us of the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8,38-39). We have the assurance that we are "in Christ" (and belong to Him!) as we hear God's voice in Jesus saying this: "And when he has let all his sheep out, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him; because they know his voice. But they do not follow a stranger, but flee from him; for they do not know the voice of strangers" (John 10,4-5). We hear the voice of our Lord and we follow him by reading his word and knowing that he is speaking to us. Reading the scriptures helps us to see that we are in a relationship with God because that is His desire and that confidence brings us closer to Him. God speaks to us through the Bible to assure us of his love by affirming that we are his beloved children. We know that this voice that we hear is God's voice. When we are guided by them to practice charity and when we increasingly see humility, joy and peace in our lives - we know all of this comes from God our Father.

Knowing that our Heavenly Father calls us by our names as His beloved children, we are motivated to live the life Paul describes in his letter to the church in Colossae:

So attract as God's elect, as saints and loved ones, heartfelt mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience; and bear one another, and forgive one another, if any one has a complaint against the other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so also you forgive! But above everything draws on love, which is the bond of perfection. And the peace of Christ, to which you are also called in one body, rule in your hearts; and be grateful.

Let the word of Christ dwell abundantly among you: teach and exhort one another in all wisdom; with psalms, hymns of praise and spiritual songs, God sings gratefully in your hearts. And whatever you do with words or works, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus and give thanks to God the Father through him (Colossians 3,12-17).

On Father's Day (and all other days), let us demonstrate that our Heavenly Father created us to love us. As our loving Father that he is, he wants us to hear his voice so that we can live a full life in close relationship with him - knowing that he will always stand up for us, always be with us, and always love us. Let us always remember that our Heavenly Father gave us everything in and through Christ His Incarnate Son. Unlike the wallet and the money I lost many years ago (they didn't last), God's gift to you (and me) is always present. Even if you lose sight of His gift for a while, our Heavenly Father is always there - knocking, seeking and finding you (even if you are apparently lost) for you to be His gift of unconditional, infinite love fully accept and experience.

by Joseph Tkach