Life Lesson #3: God’s love is what gives me the strength to love myself and others. Over time, responsibilities in life can pile up. The free time once available to take care of personal needs can grow sparse. But even when the pressure is on, God’s people still have needs and God will take care of me as I minister to His chosen.
Was it not Jesus Christ who gave his life willingly in service, knowing God would take care of him and raise him from the dead? Is he not above every name that is named? Well that is the same God I serve, so I never have to doubt that as I give of myself, God will give back more.
It pays to give selflessly and not follow after the world. The adversary has worked to twist the genuine selfless love we know from God’s Word to be a counterfeit selfish love by man. Natural man takes care of himself.
Even Adam and Eve were tricked into thinking about me, myself, and I. It is this selfishness that handed man’s spiritual rights straight over to Satan. Satan asked, “Did God actually say you are not to eat from every tree of the garden?” (Genesis 3:1) The integrity of the Word was questioned and Eve started to think about herself above her relationship with God. There was a “focus shift.”
Such are the courses of the world—always working on man’s heart to be self-made, self-centered, and self-loving, but since when did the heart of man get anything right? From what I can tell, the more I follow the heart of man, whether well intended or not, the further I get from the love of God. (Romans 1:25) It’s no wonder without God, men become fearful, worried, and unbelieving. Yet if I believe not, God abides faithful: He cannot deny Himself. (II Timothy 2:13)
You see, although my mind may sway and put things over my heavenly Father at times, what God said about Himself will not change. He will forever love me. He will forever hold me as the center of His affection. There is nothing that can change that. It is unalterable. The Word stands forever. (Isaiah 40:8)
That’s why it is essential that I embrace His love. Only then can I really love Him and love myself. Otherwise I’m in that same robotic “me, me, me” mode. But God showed me how it’s done when He gave me Christ. That’s what His spirit within me is—the perfection, holiness, and righteousness of my Christ. I am no longer in a state of helpless frustration, because I am created brand new by God. (Galatians 6:15)
He didn’t “love my faults”, He loved me past my faults. He works with me from where I think I am – to bring my heart to where He knows I am—seated in the heavenlies with His faultless Son. (Ephesians 2:6)
I have the righteousness of Christ and I have it right now! That has changed my life! I really love myself when I remember how God loves me. Nothing offends, nothing concerns, and nothing can trouble my heart. The sorrows and struggles in life pale in comparison to the rich joy of knowing the truth.
All things are working together for my good. I’m no longer thinking about the punishment of a Father who is out to get me, but a Father who has me. He’s got my back. He protects me from those who hate me. Oh, the peace that comes with being His son! Oh, the quiet calm in my soul!
There is a soothing rest in this love from God. A quiet disposition stemming from an assured trust in my Father.
Zephaniah 3:15-17:
The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.
In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.
The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
And His love for me will never fail.
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