1 John 4:18
We need have no fear of someone who
loves us perfectly; his perfect love for us eliminates all dread of what
he might do to us. If we are afraid, it is for fear of what he might do
to us and shows that we are not fully convinced that he really loves
us.
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
Timothy asks me often, “Do you still love me?” Now, he knows
that I do, but he seems to need this reassurance. If he misbehaves and
I fuss at him, he will sometimes say, “Aww…you don’t love me anymore!”
I insist that yes, I still love him…but I am not happy with how he
behaved. This is a typical reaction for some children. Timothy
apparently got my “people-pleaser” gene! In reality, his worry and
concern are wastes of time…but this doesn’t seem to be soaking in with
him just yet. Hopefully in time he will be fully convinced that his
Uncle Greg and I will always love him.
More than a few of us got
this “worry gene” when it comes to trusting the love of God. We are
ready at the first sign of trouble to decide that “He must not love
me.” We operate in fear of what will happen if we disappoint God...and
we just cannot accept that He could love us – warts and all.
Here’s the thing…this really is not about you or me. It’s not about what we
have or have not done, as much as it is about the incomprehensible,
all-encompassing, unfailing love of our Heavenly Father for each of us. I
cannot envision a world where I would not love my little nieces and
nephews…and a world does not exist where God would not love us. But we
want to dwell in the “human” realm of somehow earning unconditional love…and this simply cannot happen.
So
what does this all mean? For me, this is a call to “let go and let
God”…to quit worrying about so many things and trust that whatever
happens, God has me in the palm of His hand. This is a signal for me
stop operating in fear and trepidation over any possible “punishment”
that God might deliver out of disappointment or anger. It is a
jump-start for me to live with a deep desire to show MY love and respect
- and do all that I can to live in God’s will…to listen to His voice
and steer clear of the devil’s temptations and suggestions that I am
simply not good enough to “merit” His love – and never will be!
This
is not how God operates…and the sooner we truly understand this, the
sooner we can begin to truly experience His grace, mercy, and
blessings. Are you fully convinced that God loves you…that His deepest
desire is for you to thrive in everything you experience - and bask in
His abundant care and blessings? Won’t you join me today and drop your
worries at His feet…and embrace this amazing gift of unconditional love
and care? This is the day that the LORD has made…aren’t you ready to
really enjoy it?
©2015 Debbie Robus
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