Gripped by God's Love

1 John 4:9-10- “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

I’ve been reading the book, “The Fruitful Life” by Jerry Bridges. He has helped me to see once again the love that Christ has poured upon my life. I’ve been reminded afresh of where I once was and where I am now. He say’s:

“The truly godly person never forgets that he was at one time an object of God’s holy and just wrath. He never forgets that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and he feels along with Paul that he is himself the worst of sinners. But then as he looks to the cross, he sees that Jesus was his atoning sacrifice. He sees that Jesus bore his sins in His own body and that the wrath of God- the wrath that he, a sinner, should have borne- was expended completely and totally upon the Hold Son of God. And in this view of Calvary, he sees the love of God. How much we appreciate God’s love is conditioned by how deeply we fear Him. The more we see God in His infinite majesty, holiness, and transcendent glory, the more we will gaze with wonder and amazement upon His love poured out at Calvary.”

“Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” (1 Timothy 1:15)

If God’s love for me is a solid foundation of devotion, than I must realize that His love is ENTIRELY OF GRACE. That it rests completely upon the work of Jesus Christ and the union I have with Him. Because of this basis, I need to realize that His love can NEVER change, regardless of what I do. Deep down in my soul, I must get hold of the wonderful truth that my spiritual failures do not affect God’s love for me one iota- that His love for me does not fluctuate according to my experience. I must be gripped by the truth that I am accepted by God and loved by God for the sole reason I am united to His beloved Son.

How encouraging this is to my soul! Christ died to save ME… the worst sinner I know! May I live not for myself but for Him who died and rose again.

Romans 8:38-39- “For I’m convinced that…. [nothing]….will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”