Some find it difficult to come to believe the Love of GOD because they have known so little Love in this world, and that which has called itself 'love' was a pathetic distortion of the real thing.
Maybe as children they were only 'loved' when they pleased and then they were pushed away when they were not pleasing. Desperately trying to be the best little boy or girl in the world, but somehow not getting a hold of the Love that was conditioned on performance. Growing up hungering for Love, but never finding it, never keeping it, until giving up in bitterness, fearing further disappointment and rejection, and said, "Love is only an illusion, a delusion!"
Well, some of us did not give up, but became compulsive pleasers, ready to do anything for anyone who said they did, could or would Love us. This made some of us vulnerable to physical, mental and/or sexual abuse. The abuser said he would Love us, we did what he wanted, despite knowing intuitively something was wrong, and then, he disappeared. Others were not exploited until they were older, but the result was the same.
In time, giving up on Love, settling for the empty husk of lust and sex, condemning self to a life based on thoughts & feelings. For years we wandered alone, without Hope. We dissociated from ourselves and became someone else. We put on a false identity. Hoping our charade would be believable.
Then we hear that "GOD is Love." We are afraid to Believe it. We feel we cannot face one more disappointment. We dread the pain of being disillusioned again. We draw back and put up our wall. And yet, by GOD’S Good Grace, something stirs in our hearts. We sense that this is somehow different, and it is our last chance, our only escape from the dark pit into which we have fallen, our only way out of the cesspools of this world that we have become so comfortable in.
And so, looking to YESHUA, JESUS The CHRIST, focusing on HIS sacrifice for our sins, we press on into the Love of GOD Almighty. It does not disappoint! At last, we have found Love; True and Pure Love, because Love has found us! I Belong, Amen!!
The problem? We are not being given the Truth in its entirety. While living in sin I heard "GOD Loves you" so many times that when I had any contact with a Christian I could always reiterate that "GOD Loves me". Period! Like that is the end all. It's not.
GOD Almighty does Love each and every one of us with a Love that is incomprehensible and a Love that we cannot be separated from. What we are not hearing, learning and being told is that HIS Love doesn't get us into The Kingdom of Heaven. We are not being told that it is not HIS Love we have to obtain to get into The Kingdom, but that we must obtain HIS Mercy to get into The Kingdom.
Dear FATHER of Lights, I admit I am afraid of one more disheartening letdown. Please, be patient with me as I learn to trust YOUR Love. Bear with my hesitation. Help me to remember that YOU have demonstrated YOUR Love in deed at Calvary, and to see that proves it is safe to trust YOU. The others gave me only tempting but false promises; YOU gave YOURSELF. YOU are Real! And I Thank YOU, FATHER, for all of the many Blessings YOU so generously pour out upon each one of us on a daily basis. I Praise YOU and Glorify YOU in The Mighty and Precious Name of YESHUA, JESUS The CHRIST. Amen.
Reading John 16:1-33…
Maybe as children they were only 'loved' when they pleased and then they were pushed away when they were not pleasing. Desperately trying to be the best little boy or girl in the world, but somehow not getting a hold of the Love that was conditioned on performance. Growing up hungering for Love, but never finding it, never keeping it, until giving up in bitterness, fearing further disappointment and rejection, and said, "Love is only an illusion, a delusion!"
Well, some of us did not give up, but became compulsive pleasers, ready to do anything for anyone who said they did, could or would Love us. This made some of us vulnerable to physical, mental and/or sexual abuse. The abuser said he would Love us, we did what he wanted, despite knowing intuitively something was wrong, and then, he disappeared. Others were not exploited until they were older, but the result was the same.
In time, giving up on Love, settling for the empty husk of lust and sex, condemning self to a life based on thoughts & feelings. For years we wandered alone, without Hope. We dissociated from ourselves and became someone else. We put on a false identity. Hoping our charade would be believable.
Then we hear that "GOD is Love." We are afraid to Believe it. We feel we cannot face one more disappointment. We dread the pain of being disillusioned again. We draw back and put up our wall. And yet, by GOD’S Good Grace, something stirs in our hearts. We sense that this is somehow different, and it is our last chance, our only escape from the dark pit into which we have fallen, our only way out of the cesspools of this world that we have become so comfortable in.
And so, looking to YESHUA, JESUS The CHRIST, focusing on HIS sacrifice for our sins, we press on into the Love of GOD Almighty. It does not disappoint! At last, we have found Love; True and Pure Love, because Love has found us! I Belong, Amen!!
The problem? We are not being given the Truth in its entirety. While living in sin I heard "GOD Loves you" so many times that when I had any contact with a Christian I could always reiterate that "GOD Loves me". Period! Like that is the end all. It's not.
GOD Almighty does Love each and every one of us with a Love that is incomprehensible and a Love that we cannot be separated from. What we are not hearing, learning and being told is that HIS Love doesn't get us into The Kingdom of Heaven. We are not being told that it is not HIS Love we have to obtain to get into The Kingdom, but that we must obtain HIS Mercy to get into The Kingdom.
Dear FATHER of Lights, I admit I am afraid of one more disheartening letdown. Please, be patient with me as I learn to trust YOUR Love. Bear with my hesitation. Help me to remember that YOU have demonstrated YOUR Love in deed at Calvary, and to see that proves it is safe to trust YOU. The others gave me only tempting but false promises; YOU gave YOURSELF. YOU are Real! And I Thank YOU, FATHER, for all of the many Blessings YOU so generously pour out upon each one of us on a daily basis. I Praise YOU and Glorify YOU in The Mighty and Precious Name of YESHUA, JESUS The CHRIST. Amen.
Reading John 16:1-33…
