By: Erlinda Mejia-Olson
ROMANS 8:38-39 ~ “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
I have recently found myself wrestling to grasp the love of God and my love for Him. I can “love” God when I see Him as a distant supernatural being, but such a relationship leaves me feeling alone, bare, drain. Because God is not a “Facebook friend,” someone to interact with infrequently and at a distance. Then I finally apprehended—as I seek God daily that our relationship with Him is not meant to consist of the spiritual equivalent of casual messages and occasional emoticon—filled chat sessions.
ROMANS 8:38-39 ~ “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
I have recently found myself wrestling to grasp the love of God and my love for Him. I can “love” God when I see Him as a distant supernatural being, but such a relationship leaves me feeling alone, bare, drain. Because God is not a “Facebook friend,” someone to interact with infrequently and at a distance. Then I finally apprehended—as I seek God daily that our relationship with Him is not meant to consist of the spiritual equivalent of casual messages and occasional emoticon—filled chat sessions.
Think about the time and energy we put into our other important relationships: we communicate to our spouses, families, best friends, and significant others with phone calls, handwritten letters, emails, unsolicited visits, hugs, kisses. When our lives take a plunge, we rely on them to supply the tissues and cookie dough. When times bring us to the mountain top, we celebrate with those closest to us. But where is God in the rejoicing and weeping? Is He fundamentally involved in every moment of it all, or does He only get a quick prayer from us?
I have discovered that engaging in a deeper, more intimate, relationship with God can be very overwhelming. Inviting Him further into our hearts requires giving up more of ourselves and transparently unveiling the secrets we keep hidden. Fearful of that level of interaction and honesty, so we often exclude God from our lives, because keeping Him at a distance feels more safe. Thinking that if we let Him in … He might not like what is inside … that we are just not worth saving.
But God is an unchangeable God. His love is timeless. It is indiscriminating. God has been with us since the beginning (John 1:1-2). He has seen our failures, our weakest moments, every piece of dirt and dust in our lives; and He is not about to give up on us now. If we genuinely engage in a relationship with the LORD, nothing will take that love away.
None of us makes the cut when it comes to deserving God’s love, yet He offers it free for the taking through His Son, Jesus Christ. It is a gift! (Ephesians 2:8-9; James 1:17). Do not let it pass by. God offers a love that will never fail—so reach out and grab it. Do not keep God in a corner of your life. Celebrate Him! Cherish Him! Live your life in Him. Embrace God’s love and love Him in return.
None of us makes the cut when it comes to deserving God’s love, yet He offers it free for the taking through His Son, Jesus Christ. It is a gift! (Ephesians 2:8-9; James 1:17). Do not let it pass by. God offers a love that will never fail—so reach out and grab it. Do not keep God in a corner of your life. Celebrate Him! Cherish Him! Live your life in Him. Embrace God’s love and love Him in return.
Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment.” (Matthew 22:37-38)
