The Habit of Loving like Father

Loving like Father……………doesn’t that sound like an impossibility. To love like our heavenly Father, the creator, the one who spoke and IT all came into existence with such color, complexity, uniqueness and variety. The one who KNOWS what was and what will be . He knew that selfishness, laziness, idolatry, greed, that every kind of sin would run rampant. He knew that humans would over and over again turn from HIM. He knew all the times that I would tell Him I love Him, cry out for help and yet over and over walk in disobedience. He knew all of this and YET HE still made a WAY. This WAY is His son that He gave up to be tormented, rejected, crucified so that we might live. This WAY is so that we can come to Him, know Him, have a relationship with Him, be an heir to His kingdom and be with him throughout eternity. Our heavenly Father knew the hurtful words that would be spoken to Him, about Him and in His name and still He chose to provide this WAY. He knew about all the people that would reject Him, His love, and His plan and He still chose to do what was needed so He could actually be with us. He knew about all the lies, disobedience, the pride and the evil that would pour out from His creation and YET He still created us!He still chooses to turn to us, save us, speak to us, walk with us, listen to us, answer us, create a plan for us, comfort us, forgive us, strengthen us, sustain us, heal us, renew us and He continue’s to daily reveal Himself to us. What kind of love drives HIM? It is almost incomprehensible when you begin to reflect on this kind of love, a love that would cause HIM to give of HIMSELF to that degree despite ALL that HE knew before He ever spoke His creation into existence.

Can I love like Father? Can I live out this outrageous, intense, all-consuming, unconditional love? Is it possible?

Yes, I do believe it is BUT only when we truly belong to HIM and when we choose to walk with HIM.

²⁰ At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. ²¹ He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”  Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?” ²³ Jesus answered and said 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. ²⁴ He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.-John 14 

All my life I have seen glimpses of this amazing kind of love through every day ordinary people. I have seen such beauty in God’s people, such grace, mercy and LOVE. There have even been times in my life I have made the choice to offer this kind of love. I want to choose to Love like Father daily to all people. I want to be my Father’s arms, feet, voice, hands, body so that He can love on His creation; those that belong to Him and even those that don’t.

Loving like Father…………NO, not all the time but oh how I want to Love as HE does!!

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
       and renew a steadfast spirit within me.-Ps. 51:10

Thank you Lord because you know me, really know me and yet you love me anyway!!

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. ³⁵ By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”-John 13:34,35

 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.  If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.  “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.  This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.-John 15:9-13