God: Loving

God: Loving

"Love Without End, Amen"
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16 NASB).
Country singer George Strait sings a song entitled, "Love without End, Amen." It tells the story of a young boy coming home from school after having a fight and expecting punishment from his dad. Fully expecting the wrath of his father, the son waited, expecting the worst. However, the father said, "Let me tell you a secret about a father's love ...Daddies don't just love their children every now and then ...it's a love without end. Amen."
The young lad grew up and passed this secret on to his children. One day he dreamed that he died and went to heaven. He was concerned, as he waited to go in, because he realized there must be some mistake for if they knew half the things he's done they would never let him in. It was then that he heard his father's words again, "Let me tell you a secret about a father's love ...Daddies don't just love their children every now and then ...it's a love without end. Amen."
Isn't it comforting to know that we have a Father like this? It is no secret, concerning our Father's love: God doesn't just love His children every now and then; indeed, it is a "love without end, Amen."
-Bill Thrasher

God Cares
Joel C. Gregory writes: "I've always been fascinated with hummingbirds, so fragile, tiny, and beautiful. There are actually 320 kinds of hummingbirds. The Encyclopedia Britannica tells us that the tiniest among them is the Bee Hummingbird. It is 2 1/8 inches long, and half of that is tail feathers and beak. It only weighs five grams, just about the same weight as several aspirins would be in your hand. And yet that bird can hover, it can go up and down, sideways, and in and out with the most amazing grace and flexibility. It flaps its wings ninety times a second. And that little bird somehow knows that when it begins to get cold, for its own health, it's best to leave far Northern Canada and migrate across the United States and the Gulf of Mexico, all the way to the Panama Canal Zone. And it knows when to turn around and go back. Just an accident? If you think so, you're the type who believes there could be an explosion in a printing plant and unabridged dictionaries would fall from the sky! Jesus points to the birds and says, 'Look at God's concern for that small creature-and learn.'
"God cares. Even for little hummingbirds. And that means He cares for us." The Mystery of God's Love
One day, as a minister sat in the office of his church to meet anyone who might have spiritual difficulties, only one person came. "What is your difficulty?" asked the minister. The man answered, "My difficulty is the ninth chapter of Romans, where it says, 'Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.' " "Yes," said the minister, "there is great difficulty in that verse; but which part of the verse is difficult for you?" "The latter part, of course," said the man. "I cannot understand why God should hate Esau." The minister replied, "The verse has often been difficult, but my difficulty has always been with the first part of the verse. I never could understand how God could love that wily, deceitful, supplanting scoundrel Jacob."

God Is Love
A preacher tells us how one of his children said to the youngest, "You must be good or Father won't love you." He called the child to him and said, gravely and tenderly, "That is not true, my boy." "But you won't love us if we are not good, will you?" asked the child. "Yes, I shall love you always; when you are good, I shall love you with a love that makes me glad; when you are not good, I shall love you with a love that hurts me." That's exactly what the love of God is toward us. He was not obliged to love us because we were either bad or good, but He did love us because of what He is-Love-and for that reason He came. His coming was neither forced nor deserved.

Loving Encouragement
"Your child will walk again," said a wise physician to a polio victim's parents, "if you keep up a regular course of exercise that I will prescribe for him, and if you do not wait on him more than necessary, but insist that he try to help himself." At first the exercises were painful, and the child cried out. But though the parents' hearts were full of pity, their concern for his future would not let them give in. They continued hour after hour, day after day, month after month, kindly but firmly encouraging their little boy to exercise his partly paralyzed legs, and to follow as nearly as possible the routine of a normal child. Now a young man, this once crippled youngster walks without the trace of a limp. Is this not an illustration of the way that God loves us, and the way we are to love and help others?

God So Loved!
Ancient Greek poetry tells of a warrior, the hero of Troy, dressed in all his military armor, stretching out his arms to embrace his little son before going into battle. His child was frightened as he looked at the helmet and full military dress, and instead of falling into his father's arms he screamed in terror. However, under all the battle array was hidden a heart of fatherly love. The warrior threw off his armor, gathered his little boy in his arms, and held him tightly against his chest where he could hear the beating of his father's heart, as if saying, "I love you, I love you."
That's how God revealed Himself at Bethlehem. There He does not instill fear but attracts with His love.

Loving Chastisement
The newspapers once carried the story of a father and mother who, finding that their little girl had taken and eaten something from the cupboard, began to shake and slap the child. When the child became drowsy, they did not let up, but continued their shaking and slapping for four hours. What cruel punishment for such a little offense! No, it was compelled by love. The child had swallowed ten sleeping tablets, and the doctor said the only hope of saving the child's life was in keeping her awake. We do not always understand the path through which God leads us, but we may be certain His chastisement is always born of love. God does not choose to stop the harshness of the winds, but He rather directs us through them.

Daddy, Are You There?
A little girl and her father were returning from the funeral of their dearly loved mother and wife. Some kind neighbors invited them to spend a few days with them so they wouldn't be alone in the house with all its sad memories. However, the father decided it would be better to go home. That night the father placed the little girl's bed next to his, but neither could fall asleep. Finally the child said, "Daddy, it's dark, I can't see you. But you're there, aren't you?" "Yes, dear, Daddy's here right next to you. Go to sleep." The little one finally dropped off to sleep. In the darkness and the depth of sorrow, the father in tears said aloud, "O Heavenly Father, it's so dark, and my heart is overflowing with sorrow. But You're there, aren't You?" And immediately there came to him a passage from the prophet Isaiah: "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness" (Isaiah 41:10). Our Loving God
God reminds us of an ancient king sitting with his council, deliberating on high affairs of state involving the destiny of nations. Suddenly he hears the sorrowful cry of his little child who has fallen down and been frightened. He rises and runs to his relief, assuages his sorrows and relieves his fears. This was not an unkingly act. It was rather a natural one. Our Loving Guide
Many things must be hidden from a child, and the more sensitive he is the stricter the concealment. We are so timid and unschooled that God has to often place the shadow of His hand across our vision, just as the Alpine guide will blindfold a nervous traveler so that he may guide him unharmed across some terrifying chasm. Many of God's mysteries are things that He has hidden from us to the glory of His pity and gentleness. He has to guide us over a great many of the perilous places of life.