020108

February 1, 2008

God's Freeing Love

by Shana Schutte

Some truths are simple, but profound. These truths can be those that we repeatedly hear so many times they fall on deaf ears, such as "God loves you." We've seen this phrase on bumper stickers, T-shirts and heard it from TV preachers and musicians. Some consider it an insensitive phrase uttered when someone doesn't know what else to say--a platitude, or a bandaid put on a bleeding heart. "Oh! You went bankrupt? God loves you." "I'm sorry your wife died. Well, God loves you." "Your heart hurts? God loves you."

Today it struck me afresh how when we're in the place where we've heard "God loves you," and it bounces off our hearts like a rubber ball, then we have ceased to acknowledge its truth, beauty and depth.

In his book, The Ragamuffin Gospel, Brennan Manning writes:

"Imagine that Jesus is calling you today. He extends a second invitation--to accept His Father's love. And maybe you answer, 'Oh, I know that. It's old hat...Lay a new word on me. I know the old one.'

And God answers, 'That's what you don't know. You don't know how much I love you. The moment you think you understand is the moment you don't understand. I am God, not man. You tell others about Me--that I am a loving God. Your words are glib. My words are written in the blood of My only Son."'

If we can just begin to taste this love, it frees us from the pressure of performance, and the fear of punishment. When the truth of it sinks into our hearts, we are freed when we realize that there is absolutely nothing we can do to get God to stop loving us.

Did you recently treat a friend poorly, and now feel guilty? God still loves you. Have been ungrateful, selfish or impulsive? Nothing you can do can make Him stop being crazy about you. Have you wished you had more of a heart for Him, but you're discouraged because you can't seem to "measure up?" You can't drive Him away.

Even if you suffer natural consequences for your sin, you will never suffer from abandonment by the God who loves you enough to die for you--and that's why you can be freed from the pressure of performance and the fear of punishment. His is a love that will never let you go.

"'Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor my covenant of peace be removed' says the Lord who has compassion on you"' (Isaiah 54:10)

www.runtogodministries.org

run to god

m i n i s t r i e s

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me because

he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted."

---Jesus

a daily reflection