Redeeming love
“The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty.” (Ex. 34:6,7).
There are many kinds of love, but the greatest of all is the kind that uplifts those around us who have fallen to some overpowering weakness or fault. Redeeming love is not only beautiful, but also wise and health-giving. Any other substitute is ultimately ugly, foolishness, and destructive to health. To both giver and receiver, gracious love restores the whole person, body, mind and soul. Redeeming love.
The love that forgets self and seeks the benefit of another finds the grace of life. It discovers the fountain of youth, the tree of life. There is only one source of redeeming love, that from the bosom of the Father through His beloved Son.
His love rains down on us, which we experience from the mercy we see around us. The image of God that yet remains in the hearts of men and women; the need for community of souls, the childlike sharing together reveals God’s love still at work in humanity. His love also comes to us through the sacrifice He accomplished for us. He poured out His soul unto death and made His soul an offering for our sinfulness. He loved His own unto the very end. And for everyone else He patiently waited for their response to His ever beating waves of compassion. Like the surf of an ocean of yearning love thundering upon the beachfront of their hearts, He could never stop loving them.
Redeeming love has vision. It portends the total destruction that will occur without love and kindness, and dreams of the day health and prosperity come to the one who receives it’s goodness. It isn’t easily discouraged. It is visionary, and it persists until it achieves its object—the restoration of many lost hearts and souls.
The idea of redeeming love is not corny; it isn’t laughable. It is valid and true, and an increasing necessity to our society that is caving in because of the utter lack of such love. Its goal is to reach the heart of everyone with whom it comes into contact. It isn’t always wearing a glitzy smile. But it always seeks to encourage with a kindness or an acknowledgment with some respect. It is an expert in recognizing the need and then applying the remedy.
It bears anything, believes in anyone, hopes for everything, and endures anything. Charity never fails. Charity, gracious love is most excellent! (1Cor. 12:31).
Everyone needs redeeming love. Everyone deserves redeeming love—simply because they are ignorant of God and need Him. God isn’t the only one who should have redeeming love. We all should have it to give to everyone around us.
Redeeming love naturally suits itself for just what people need. Are they sad? It has plenty of encouragement and warmth for them. Are they happy? It rejoices with them. Are they arrogant? It treats them as if they aren’t, yet, keeps them at the distance they desire to be kept at. Redeeming love doesn’t force anyone to surrender to it. But it is always ready and observant to the smallest response of acceptance to love, like the Author of redemption Himself. “With the merciful Thou wilt shew Thyself merciful; with an upright man Thou wilt shew Thyself upright;
With the pure Thou wilt shew Thyself pure; and with the froward Thou wilt shew Thyself froward.
For Thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.” (Ps. 18:25-27).
Redeeming love realizes that to leave sinners in their condition without attempting to get into their heart is to allow them to suffer on because of their condition, as well as causing those around them to suffer, especially their loved ones. So it can be aloof to the stubborn person, while always communicating that it welcomes and accepts the stubborn and arrogant one. Yet it immediately responds to the poor in spirit and contrite ones.
Redeeming love is the best. And our God has an infinite supply of it for us all!
There are many kinds of love, but the greatest of all is the kind that uplifts those around us who have fallen to some overpowering weakness or fault. Redeeming love is not only beautiful, but also wise and health-giving. Any other substitute is ultimately ugly, foolishness, and destructive to health. To both giver and receiver, gracious love restores the whole person, body, mind and soul. Redeeming love.
The love that forgets self and seeks the benefit of another finds the grace of life. It discovers the fountain of youth, the tree of life. There is only one source of redeeming love, that from the bosom of the Father through His beloved Son.
His love rains down on us, which we experience from the mercy we see around us. The image of God that yet remains in the hearts of men and women; the need for community of souls, the childlike sharing together reveals God’s love still at work in humanity. His love also comes to us through the sacrifice He accomplished for us. He poured out His soul unto death and made His soul an offering for our sinfulness. He loved His own unto the very end. And for everyone else He patiently waited for their response to His ever beating waves of compassion. Like the surf of an ocean of yearning love thundering upon the beachfront of their hearts, He could never stop loving them.
Redeeming love has vision. It portends the total destruction that will occur without love and kindness, and dreams of the day health and prosperity come to the one who receives it’s goodness. It isn’t easily discouraged. It is visionary, and it persists until it achieves its object—the restoration of many lost hearts and souls.
The idea of redeeming love is not corny; it isn’t laughable. It is valid and true, and an increasing necessity to our society that is caving in because of the utter lack of such love. Its goal is to reach the heart of everyone with whom it comes into contact. It isn’t always wearing a glitzy smile. But it always seeks to encourage with a kindness or an acknowledgment with some respect. It is an expert in recognizing the need and then applying the remedy.
It bears anything, believes in anyone, hopes for everything, and endures anything. Charity never fails. Charity, gracious love is most excellent! (1Cor. 12:31).
Everyone needs redeeming love. Everyone deserves redeeming love—simply because they are ignorant of God and need Him. God isn’t the only one who should have redeeming love. We all should have it to give to everyone around us.
Redeeming love naturally suits itself for just what people need. Are they sad? It has plenty of encouragement and warmth for them. Are they happy? It rejoices with them. Are they arrogant? It treats them as if they aren’t, yet, keeps them at the distance they desire to be kept at. Redeeming love doesn’t force anyone to surrender to it. But it is always ready and observant to the smallest response of acceptance to love, like the Author of redemption Himself. “With the merciful Thou wilt shew Thyself merciful; with an upright man Thou wilt shew Thyself upright;
With the pure Thou wilt shew Thyself pure; and with the froward Thou wilt shew Thyself froward.
For Thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.” (Ps. 18:25-27).
Redeeming love realizes that to leave sinners in their condition without attempting to get into their heart is to allow them to suffer on because of their condition, as well as causing those around them to suffer, especially their loved ones. So it can be aloof to the stubborn person, while always communicating that it welcomes and accepts the stubborn and arrogant one. Yet it immediately responds to the poor in spirit and contrite ones.
Redeeming love is the best. And our God has an infinite supply of it for us all!
posted by David | 7:08 PM
2 Comments:
Mne brother David,
You always make my day bright by your posts. many times I build my radio sermons and other sermons from your good thoughts.
Looking foward to meeting you soon in eternity.
I have read both parts of Reeding love you posted. God's love will be our song for ages while at our eternal home.
Daniel
And I look forward soon to an eternity with you, too. And all the people who love with redeeming love! What a reunion that will be!
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