What love really means - JJ Heller
God has been teaching me so much about His love and His love for others. I think many of us, at one point in time or another, have struggled with "owning" our identity in Christ. Reading "Who I am in Christ" (which is posted in another blog of mine) is making me ponder my indetity in Christ and others identity in Him.
In John 1:12-13, it says, "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed his name, he gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God". I read these verses and thought, "wow, how amazing is that"! These verses are powerful and packed full of hope. The Creator of the universe claims you as His own child.
After I read those verses, my mind also went immediately to all of the children I have worked with and do work with. Many of them grow up with low self-images and come from broken homes. I thought, "wow, I hope they all know how much God loves them". No child is ever a mistake. Every child is precious. I hope that all of the children I have ever known know how much God loves them. Even if their mother abandoned them or their earthly father betrays their trust, there is hope in the Lord. When you believe in the Lord and accept Him, your identity is found in Him. He claims you as His own child. Earthly parents don't always live up to their responsibilities and are far from perfect, but your Heavenly Father is perfect and He loves you for you. God did not make a mistake when He made you. Your frame was not hidden from Him.
We are the children of God. He formed us in our mother's womb and He loves you. He loves you not because of the works you do or because you go to church every Sunday. He loves you for just being you. For some of us, this is hard to grasp. You don't earn God's love. He gives His love freely by His grace and mercy. Jesus took on all of the things that separated us from God and through Him and because of Him, we can be joined with Him. We can be called children of God, "born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God". Do you believe this? Have you fully accepted your identity in Christ? Do you know how much God loves you?
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son (Jesus), that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have enternal life". John 3:16 (NIV)
After I read those verses, my mind also went immediately to all of the children I have worked with and do work with. Many of them grow up with low self-images and come from broken homes. I thought, "wow, I hope they all know how much God loves them". No child is ever a mistake. Every child is precious. I hope that all of the children I have ever known know how much God loves them. Even if their mother abandoned them or their earthly father betrays their trust, there is hope in the Lord. When you believe in the Lord and accept Him, your identity is found in Him. He claims you as His own child. Earthly parents don't always live up to their responsibilities and are far from perfect, but your Heavenly Father is perfect and He loves you for you. God did not make a mistake when He made you. Your frame was not hidden from Him.
We are the children of God. He formed us in our mother's womb and He loves you. He loves you not because of the works you do or because you go to church every Sunday. He loves you for just being you. For some of us, this is hard to grasp. You don't earn God's love. He gives His love freely by His grace and mercy. Jesus took on all of the things that separated us from God and through Him and because of Him, we can be joined with Him. We can be called children of God, "born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God". Do you believe this? Have you fully accepted your identity in Christ? Do you know how much God loves you?
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son (Jesus), that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have enternal life". John 3:16 (NIV)
