March
13, 2003
THE
FATHER LOVES YOU!
"The
Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have
believed that I came forth from God. I came forth from the
Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world
and go to the Father" (John 16:27, 28, NKJV).
The Father
not only loves you, He loves the world, "God
loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, that everyone
who has faith in him may not die but have eternal life. It
was not to judge the world that God sent His Son into the
world, but that through Him the world might be saved."
Paul wrote, "Christ died for us while we were yet sinners,
and that is God's own proof of His love toward us. And so,
since we have now been justified by Christ's sacrificial death,
we shall all the more certainly be saved through Him from
final retribution" (John 3:16, 17; Romans 5:8, 9, NEB).
That's good news!
The great
facts of the Christian faith are summarized in this verse.
Jesus stated, "I came forth from
the Father and have come into the world. - I leave the world
and go to the Father" (vs. 28). The preexistence
of Christ, the incarnation and associated events, and the
ascension, returning to the Father are here stated. "In
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among
us, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten
of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:1, 14,
NKJV).
When
men and women respond to the overwhelming love of God, a greater
manifestation of that love is possible. When we recognize
Jesus for who He claims to be, the Father accepts us as adopted
children into His family. "To all who did receive Him
(Jesus), to those who have yielded Him their allegiance, He
gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12,
NEB). "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed
on us, that we should be called children of God!" (1
John 3:1, NKJV).
The Father
loves the Son, and He especially loves those who love His
Son. Jesus was on a high mountain with Peter, James and John
when "a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly
a voice came out of the cloud, saying, 'This is My beloved
Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!' " (Matthew
17:5 and Mark 9:7). Jesus also stated, "He
who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him
and manifest Myself to him... If anyone loves Me, he will
keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come
to him and make Our home with him" (John 14:21,
23).
We may
be abandoned by our father, mother, brother, sister, spouse,
children or friend, however, God will never abandon you or
me. "I have loved you with an everlasting love; - with
lovingkindness I have drawn you" (Jeremiah 31:3). God
is Love!
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