God is love, but?
I’ve often heard that God is love. What does that mean? I know that he sent Jesus to pay for our sins... that was love. Unconditional, we certainly didn’t deserve it. But that is a portrayal of love.
I’m having trouble understanding how he “is” love. So I went to 1st Corinthians chapter 13 and I read verses 4-8.
So, here’s the run down.
God is patient (long suffering). Yes. He takes his time and is a God that can wait. Ok so God is kind... that means he can’t be cruel or hateful or abusive. That means that kindness is who he is, not what he does. Awesome !
Now I’m going to skip the next one for now. I’ll get back to it later.
Then it says that he doesn’t parade himself around. Now that’s just cool. If anybody should have a parade it should be God. But if you look at Jesus, he’d rather serve than have a parade. Now he did have one parade, but that was to fulfill his destiny, not his ego.
Ok, so next...he is not “puffed up” . What? I looked that phrase up through an online dictionary. Webster’s . It has some interesting adjectives. The obvious ones include arrogance. Remember when we talked about arrogance being not knowing who you are, but acting like you are something that you are not? God doesn’t do that. He is confident. He knows who he is. That is loving. God knows his limitations...WHAT? Yes, he has self imposed limitations. He WILL NOT go against your will; that isn’t love and it isn’t his nature.
Here are some more interesting ways to look at “puffed up”. He doesn’t “Blow up in short bursts!” I have done that with my children. It also means not to blow out sharply in frustration. Uh oh....sorry kids. You ever seen someone blow out harshly and roll their eyes? Puffing up! Who knew.
So, okay, God isn’t conceited and he doesn’t blow us off. Simple, yet true.
Next, He’s not rude! If you ever see someone proclaiming to be a Christian who acts rude...they may still be Christians, but they aren’t walking in the character of God.
Then we have ‘Doesn’t seek his own....” So, am I telling you that God is chill? That he can accept your no! Am I telling you that he doesn’t have to have his own way all the time? Yep. If he did, we’d all be saved and in an intimate relationship with him. See, his ways are better, but he won’t insist on them.
He is “Not provoked to evil”. Well that just messes with some people’s theology. So, does that mean that God is not in favor of all the junk that happens in the world and that he’s NOT punishing us because we mess up? If he wanted to punish us, it would not be by sending us to heaven early. That’s pretty much what death is...early retirement for those who love him. Did your brain just explode a little? I am honored to share this information with you. Not because I’m all that! No, because I am often surprised when I write. It’s like I’m getting this information for the first time. I’m glad you are joining me on my journey.
So, He does not rejoice in iniquity. So, he doesn’t like it when people mess up? He’s not sitting on the throne of heaven going ,“I told you they’d screw up!” Nope, he’s not like that. We are sometimes, but he’s not. He has every right to be, but he isn’t.
He rejoices in the truth! What if the truth is, “I’m angry?” Now, you have to get really, really honest. Have you ever been angry with God? I bet you have. He knows that. I’ve heard people say things like “How could God allow my child to suffer?” Like it was some kind of master plan. Listen people, including me, God allowed Adam to eat the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Did he want him to? No He even told him not to and what would happen if he did. Was God angry with Adam. This next part will mess with your theological brain.
What did God tell Adam before he sent him out of the Garden? He said, “I need to let you leave otherwise you’ll eat of the tree of everlasting life and there will be no redemption possible! “ My wording. So, If I say, “God I don’t understand and I’m angry!” He doesn’t roll off the throne and says “ Send lighting to their house and destroy them!” Why do we think he would? No, he says, “Finally!” You know that song by Amy Grant? “Better than a Hallelujah” ? I bet it makes more sense now. He just wants our honesty. Lies only keep us hostage to themselves. The truth sets us free. The truth is: God loves you and he can handle your anger, even if it’s directed at him. He will definitely show you that He is not the author, but he understands our pain. We’re human.
He bears all things? What? I’ve puzzled over that one. Does that mean that he puts up with everyone? Nope. It means that in your darkest hour, he is bearing your burden with you...all of them.
He believes all things, this and the next one go together. Because he also hopes all thing. He believes us until we prove him otherwise. Doesn't this sound a lot more like a loving God than a vindictive tyrant?
He also endures all things. He doesn't run when things get tough. He stays. God does not leave us helpless, even if we’ve caused our own difficulties. He does not LEAVE! Wow!
Lastly, before I back track...he NEVER fails. I hear someone saying, “But Adam sinned and fell?” “The devil fell?” “I fall?” Yes, but he never does. He had a back up plan for failure. It was the cross. The other plan is heaven. If we fail our health so miserably that we end up dying, or if this world takes over our body and we get sick. Heaven is the best rescue system available. It’s not temporary and neither was the forgiveness Jesus paid for on the cross.
Now back to the I didn’t cover. It says that love does not envy. When I think of envy I think of jealousy, The Bible says that God is a jealous God. He will not have any other god before him. Nope, he wants it all!
But he doesn’t envy anyone. How could he? He rules the world. He owns it all, some of it is on layaway until the end of time, but he doesn't wish for anything.
I want to be like him! I won’t be able to. But I want to. So, I’ll take each of these descriptions and I’ll do my best to be like him. So can you. Take time to get to know him. Not because you have to, not because he’ll be angry if you don’t. No, just because you want to know a love that never leaves.
I’m having trouble understanding how he “is” love. So I went to 1st Corinthians chapter 13 and I read verses 4-8.
So, here’s the run down.
God is patient (long suffering). Yes. He takes his time and is a God that can wait. Ok so God is kind... that means he can’t be cruel or hateful or abusive. That means that kindness is who he is, not what he does. Awesome !
Now I’m going to skip the next one for now. I’ll get back to it later.
Then it says that he doesn’t parade himself around. Now that’s just cool. If anybody should have a parade it should be God. But if you look at Jesus, he’d rather serve than have a parade. Now he did have one parade, but that was to fulfill his destiny, not his ego.
Ok, so next...he is not “puffed up” . What? I looked that phrase up through an online dictionary. Webster’s . It has some interesting adjectives. The obvious ones include arrogance. Remember when we talked about arrogance being not knowing who you are, but acting like you are something that you are not? God doesn’t do that. He is confident. He knows who he is. That is loving. God knows his limitations...WHAT? Yes, he has self imposed limitations. He WILL NOT go against your will; that isn’t love and it isn’t his nature.
Here are some more interesting ways to look at “puffed up”. He doesn’t “Blow up in short bursts!” I have done that with my children. It also means not to blow out sharply in frustration. Uh oh....sorry kids. You ever seen someone blow out harshly and roll their eyes? Puffing up! Who knew.
So, okay, God isn’t conceited and he doesn’t blow us off. Simple, yet true.
Next, He’s not rude! If you ever see someone proclaiming to be a Christian who acts rude...they may still be Christians, but they aren’t walking in the character of God.
Then we have ‘Doesn’t seek his own....” So, am I telling you that God is chill? That he can accept your no! Am I telling you that he doesn’t have to have his own way all the time? Yep. If he did, we’d all be saved and in an intimate relationship with him. See, his ways are better, but he won’t insist on them.
He is “Not provoked to evil”. Well that just messes with some people’s theology. So, does that mean that God is not in favor of all the junk that happens in the world and that he’s NOT punishing us because we mess up? If he wanted to punish us, it would not be by sending us to heaven early. That’s pretty much what death is...early retirement for those who love him. Did your brain just explode a little? I am honored to share this information with you. Not because I’m all that! No, because I am often surprised when I write. It’s like I’m getting this information for the first time. I’m glad you are joining me on my journey.
So, He does not rejoice in iniquity. So, he doesn’t like it when people mess up? He’s not sitting on the throne of heaven going ,“I told you they’d screw up!” Nope, he’s not like that. We are sometimes, but he’s not. He has every right to be, but he isn’t.
He rejoices in the truth! What if the truth is, “I’m angry?” Now, you have to get really, really honest. Have you ever been angry with God? I bet you have. He knows that. I’ve heard people say things like “How could God allow my child to suffer?” Like it was some kind of master plan. Listen people, including me, God allowed Adam to eat the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Did he want him to? No He even told him not to and what would happen if he did. Was God angry with Adam. This next part will mess with your theological brain.
What did God tell Adam before he sent him out of the Garden? He said, “I need to let you leave otherwise you’ll eat of the tree of everlasting life and there will be no redemption possible! “ My wording. So, If I say, “God I don’t understand and I’m angry!” He doesn’t roll off the throne and says “ Send lighting to their house and destroy them!” Why do we think he would? No, he says, “Finally!” You know that song by Amy Grant? “Better than a Hallelujah” ? I bet it makes more sense now. He just wants our honesty. Lies only keep us hostage to themselves. The truth sets us free. The truth is: God loves you and he can handle your anger, even if it’s directed at him. He will definitely show you that He is not the author, but he understands our pain. We’re human.
He bears all things? What? I’ve puzzled over that one. Does that mean that he puts up with everyone? Nope. It means that in your darkest hour, he is bearing your burden with you...all of them.
He believes all things, this and the next one go together. Because he also hopes all thing. He believes us until we prove him otherwise. Doesn't this sound a lot more like a loving God than a vindictive tyrant?
He also endures all things. He doesn't run when things get tough. He stays. God does not leave us helpless, even if we’ve caused our own difficulties. He does not LEAVE! Wow!
Lastly, before I back track...he NEVER fails. I hear someone saying, “But Adam sinned and fell?” “The devil fell?” “I fall?” Yes, but he never does. He had a back up plan for failure. It was the cross. The other plan is heaven. If we fail our health so miserably that we end up dying, or if this world takes over our body and we get sick. Heaven is the best rescue system available. It’s not temporary and neither was the forgiveness Jesus paid for on the cross.
Now back to the I didn’t cover. It says that love does not envy. When I think of envy I think of jealousy, The Bible says that God is a jealous God. He will not have any other god before him. Nope, he wants it all!
But he doesn’t envy anyone. How could he? He rules the world. He owns it all, some of it is on layaway until the end of time, but he doesn't wish for anything.
I want to be like him! I won’t be able to. But I want to. So, I’ll take each of these descriptions and I’ll do my best to be like him. So can you. Take time to get to know him. Not because you have to, not because he’ll be angry if you don’t. No, just because you want to know a love that never leaves.
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