God is Love

For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Romans 9:3

So basically, Paul is saying that he would go to hell for the sake of his people. If he could forfeit his soul to the devil so his people would be saved, he would do it. I am well known with the passage in 1 John that speaks about no greater love than a person laying down his life for a friend yet I have missed this passage in Romans and the extent to Paul's claim. It is one thing to forfeit one's life because BAM I am in heaven, so I am the real winner but to forfeit one's soul and die eternally in the lake of fire is unimaginable.

So let me ask you a question. Who are you ready to die for? Children? Spouse? No one? Lost people? Maybe you are ready to die for the sake of the Gospel so that people you love can have a chance of hearing. Or perhaps you are not ready to die for anyone, even a loved one. Well, let me ask you another question. Who are you ready to go to hell for? ....yeah, I did not think so. Now I do not beat you down to leave you lying on the floor. I think it is obvious that this love that Paul has for his people is something greater than himself. This is not the type of love that happens from knowing them, talking with them, even spending a whole life with them. This love comes from God and only from God. God has this love for all people and that is why He sent His son who has this same love. In fact, Jesus went to hell for all people yet He overcame hell and tooks the keys. So this is the love that God desires us to have for our brothers and sisters and for the lost. A love that does not depend on who they are or what they have done, but a pure love that Satan cannot defeat. This is the love of God. This is God.

I Love Your Presence

I read the book Searching For God Knows What by Donald Miller and in the book he stresses the relationship we have with God and many times we rather go for rules and doctrine rather than pursuing our relationship with Him. Yes those things are good but our Father would rather have us deepen our relationship with Him than to follows these rules and regulations. So this has been on my mind lately and the other day my dog was vying for my attention. There I was watching tv and my dog started to whimper and fidget to get me to play with him but I just ignored him. Now I don't like comparing God to a dog but at that moment it hit me that God many times tries to get our attention. He wants to spend time with us but we occupy ourselves with sin, idleness, or even things He commands but we neglect our relationship with our Father. It really struck home with me last Wednesday night. I was in the youth service and we started singing, "I love, I love, I love Your presence." I sang this the first time just letting God know that I love His presence but then the second time it was time to sing it I just listened. And what I heard was God saying, "I love, I love, I love your presence." God loves my presence. It makes sense does it not? Does not a loving father want to spend time with his children, in their presence. How much more would the perfect Father want to be in His children's presence. God is sovereign and holy and the only righteous one yet He is loving and personal and intimate and wants to have our presence. Because He loves us. This helps me and spurs me on to not neglect that presence to my Master, to my King, to my Dad.