God's Love Seen

https://www.pinterest.com/thebible4/1-john/

Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him. John 14:21 (ESV)

The Apostle John gives us the basics of God’s love for us. He tells us that Jesus instructed whoever has and keeps my commandments does, in fact, love Him. Jesus also enlarges this thought to further say that those who love Him will be loved by our Father God.

Let’s see, if we love the Son, He will love us, and the Father will love us as well. As a result, Jesus will demonstrate or show His love for us to further establish Himself in our lives. When Jesus shows His love for us, I believe two things happen. 1.) We are assured of His presence in our lives. 2.) Others can see Him in us.

Because we have the assurance of Jesus’ presence, we strive to follow His guidance and obey his commands. We attempt to keep out of stressful circumstances.

When other believer’s meet us they see Jesus in us immediately. When those who have yet to believe in Jesus, we might not receive a warm reaction. However, we are to greet them as Jesus greeted us.

Down through the ages, hymn writers have written of God’s love. King David wrote psalms as he dealt with the issues of his life and how God reached out and love him.

Asaph, “appointed by David to preside over the sacred choral services,” also wrote psalms as well.  

Psalm 73

 A psalm of Asaph

1 Truly God is good to Israel,

to those who are pure in heart.

2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,

my steps had nearly slipped.

3 For I was envious of the arrogant

when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4 For they have no pangs until death;

their bodies are fat and sleek.

5 They are not in trouble as others are;

they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.

6 Therefore pride is their necklace;

violence covers them as a garment.

7 Their eyes swell out through fatness;

their hearts overflow with follies.

8 They scoff and speak with malice;

loftily they threaten oppression.

The writer sounds confused and even distraught. But read closely the following verses.

16 But when I thought how to understand this,

    it seemed to me a wearisome task,

17 until I went into the sanctuary of God;

    then I discerned their end.

18 Truly you set them in slippery places;

    you make them fall to ruin.

19 How they are destroyed in a moment,

    swept away utterly by terrors!

20 Like a dream when one awakes,

    O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms.

21 When my soul was embittered,

    when I was pricked in heart,

22 I was brutish and ignorant;

    I was like a beast toward you.

23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you;

    you hold my right hand.

24 You guide me with your counsel,

    and afterward, you will receive me to glory.

25 Whom have I in heaven but you?

    And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.

26 My flesh and my heart may fail,

    but God is the strength[b] of my heart and my portion forever.

27 For behold, those who are far from you shall perish;

    you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.

28 But for me it is good to be near God;

    I have made the Lord God my refuge,

    that I may tell of all your works.

I love the words in verses 23, 24, 28. God does guide us; He will receive us into Glory and we are to tell others of all God’s works.