Clichés drive me crazy. Especially those Christian ones.
(Sorry, that was an abrupt beginning.)
There are a lot of cliché phrases that go around in Christian circles, especially ones that take the place of solid theology.
There’s a way of thinking that goes around, even from pastors(!). It goes something like this.
“God fell in love with His people, and so He sent His Son to die for us!”
So, God fell in love with you?
“Fell in love”?
When I think of falling in love, I think of romance with out someone’s own consent; a relationship that “just happened;” a love formed of SURPRISE! emotions, and basically the first half of Taylor Swift songs.
So when I think of God falling in love with us, I think of an emotion. An impulse. Something that had to do with our performance.
But right here in the Bible, we know that we are horrible, sinful, wretched sinners.
And it was then that Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8
“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
That blows my mind, and shows me something amazing.
Love is a choice.
God did not fall in love with us, He chose to love us.
1 John 4:19
“We love because he first loved us.”
I know, this is such a simple concept. But it’s really important to note.
Because once we realize that God’s love for us is a conscious choice, it makes it so much sweeter. Nothing we could ever do could make us deserve God’s love. That is just so incredibly amazing to me, that He chose to love us, at our absolute darkest.
When I understand His love, I want to show that love to others. I want to inhale His grace and exhale His forgiveness! I want to be so full of Him, that when I tip, love pours out.
Even when tough things come along, I know that God’s love is stronger than everything. He didn’t have to love me. I did not deserve it in the least.
I’m a broken and utterly flawed human being. I deserve eternal punishment. But God had mercy on me, and extended grace to me.
I find that to be the most awe-inspiring and mind-blowing thing ever.
I’m caught between wanting to fall to my knees and worship and wanting to run to my roof and scream that Jesus saves. I will write until the whole world hears…
JESUS CAME TO SAVE YOU! REGARDLESS OF YOUR PAST, PRESENT, OR FUTURE! FORGETTING YOUR REPUTATION, THE MISTAKES YOU’VE MADE, AND WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW.
JESUS WILL SAVE YOU, JUST ACCEPT IT! BELIEVE AND RECEIVE.
And there’s my little speech.
God didn’t fall in love with us, He chose to love us.
Even though we’ve turned our backs on Him, His love still stands.
Even though we can’t repay Him, His grace still extends to us.
He does not want to see anyone perish.
2 Peter 3:9
“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
*aj
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