This is Love...

It's amazing how complicated we make things. So many truths are so plain and simple, and the freedom is in its simplicity. For example, I was making my way through 1 John last week and I came across this verse. "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."

I don't know how many books exist about what love is. And I'm not sure how many sermons or Sunday school lessons pertaining to love. All I know is I've heard a lot of stuff.

Lately I've been wrestling through the whole thing of love and obedience. To clarify, I'm not second-guessing my need to obey the Lord. I'm not questioning how love and obedience go hand-in-hand when walking with the Lord. I've just been finding myself in a place of thinking... "I'm so imperfect! How could I love God?"

"This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."

But since I've been saved, I've slipped up and screwed up so many times. I can't seem to stay on my feet long enough to take the next step, let alone think about where I'm heading...

"This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."

But... but... I find myself with so many but's, and all I keep finding is grace, grace, and more grace. I never earned my salvation; I'm unable to maintain it. After all, Jesus is "the author and perfecter of our faith..." So the fact that I'm a screw up doesn't disqualify me from anything. It's because I'm a screw up and a sinner that I needed Him in the first place. And I still need Him; I need Him desperately. I need and want to be changed into His image. But let me not forget...

"This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."

I'm sure I've got more screw ups ahead of me; I think it's a part of that whole humanity thing... But I will remind myself whenever the enemy comes against me, that it all started with Jesus. It will be sustained in Him; it will be perfected in Him. I can rest in His love, because I know my love for Him exists only because He loved me first. "But God demonstrated His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

And I will remind myself, and hold to that truth... I will cling to it. My life depends on it. Not understanding this, or rather, not holding to it left me in despair and condemnation.

I have much more need to understand the grace of God. And each time some of it is revealed to me, I will cling to it. I need it.

And if you are wanting to read some more concerning the grace of God, my friend Sheila has written some about it in her blog "A Season of Harvest." There should be a link on this page... There's nothing quite like freedom, and I can't wait to be freer still.