A person who thinks himself unlovable cannot be in a relationship with God because he or she can't accept who God is: Love. We learn that we are lovable or unlovable from other people. That is why God tells us time after time to love each other. I am responsible for the way I interact with others. I am responsible for the way I love others. With love comes accountability. We are required not only to talk about love, read about love, or discuss about love; our need is to experience the love of God. To experience this love of God is meant to be an outpouring and not merely a receiving. But we cannot give to others what we have not received ourselves. We must understand how much God loves us, so that His love can flow freely through us and between us.
It's impossible to love others until we truly feel loved ourselves. I was confident in myself, but that does not mean that I loved myself. My confidence told me what I could do, but love tells me what I can be. There is an essence of grace that comes with the latter. Confidence demands, but love accepts. This is an accepting of oneself that comes with the understanding that we all fall short of the glory of God. This is an accepting of oneself that comes with the seeking of God's strength over strength of oneself. This is an accepting of oneself that comes with the peace of knowing that I am enough for my savior. When I was genuinely loved by Christians that God brought into my life, when I fell madly in love with Christ, and when I came to the knowledge of His immeasurable love, I finally came to love myself. Not a self righteous kind of love, but I loved myself because He loved me enough to sacrifice Himself for me. I am still confident in myself, but my confidence is now found in Him. I am a child of God, worthy to know love, be loved and to love.
Just as it is not merely about the knowledge of faith, but the obedience of faith- the same applies to love. We know about God's love for us because He has showed it to us through the sacrifice of His son, but the obedience to His love requires action. Love is something we do. The crucifixion was the ultimate action and expression of love. He is not asking His children to be nailed to the cross as a sacrifice, He is merely asking us to step outside of the love of oneself by loving others authentically, passionately and without any expectation to receive anything in return. Ultimately, He is asking us to be a reflection of Him.It's impossible to love others until we truly feel loved ourselves. I was confident in myself, but that does not mean that I loved myself. My confidence told me what I could do, but love tells me what I can be. There is an essence of grace that comes with the latter. Confidence demands, but love accepts. This is an accepting of oneself that comes with the understanding that we all fall short of the glory of God. This is an accepting of oneself that comes with the seeking of God's strength over strength of oneself. This is an accepting of oneself that comes with the peace of knowing that I am enough for my savior. When I was genuinely loved by Christians that God brought into my life, when I fell madly in love with Christ, and when I came to the knowledge of His immeasurable love, I finally came to love myself. Not a self righteous kind of love, but I loved myself because He loved me enough to sacrifice Himself for me. I am still confident in myself, but my confidence is now found in Him. I am a child of God, worthy to know love, be loved and to love.
Ultimately, love is a choice, commitment and a responsibility. Although God's love, grace, salvation and our place in eternity is a free gift through faith, it comes with a responsibility. The nation of Israel - God's chosen people wanted the blessings without the responsibilities. We have received God's ultimate and incorruptible love, but we do not want the responsibilities that come with it. The nation of Israel was to be an attractive "light" or a royal priesthood of the glory and blessings of the Lord in order to attract all people and nations to Him. This outpouring of love by loving one another serves the same by becoming the greatest attractive force to exemplify God's saving power and glory to the lost world. What a spectacular expression of God's love if we all took on this responsibility and became a collective example of His love.
The world does not see His love in us, but through us. The love of God dwells in me, but when we love one another, what brings glory and demonstrates His love to others is the love unified. When we love each other, there is a flash of love- the love between us is what we show to the world. God is love, so God is present in that space. That is the moment when the veil is torn and the light soaks through. We must love each other right- it is missiologically crucial. We can create a community, but if love is not there and nourished and intentional, the presence of God is not there. The community of Christ followers must be shaped to contain love. There can be fellowship, but that is not Church. Church is when we are all sitting at the table. It is where we all “contain” ourselves and contain the love of God. The world see’s this unity that contains God's love. This is our greatest collective testimony of Him.
Love always involves responsibility, and love always involves sacrifice. And we do not really love Christ unless we are prepared to face His task and to take up His Cross.- William Barclay
