Tag Archives: God’s Love

Abba’s Child | Book Review

Abba's ChildDo you wonder about God’s personal love for us?  Do you have a background of little to no love as a child and have always been searching for it?  Are you a perfectionist with thoughts of I’m just not good enough?  This book might be for you.

God’s love (and grace) has nothing to do with not living up to your own or other’s expectations.  It is simple in its complexity.  It has little, to nothing, to do with you/me and everything to do with the One who forgave every complex bit of ourselves on the cross.  We are so wrapped up in what we think is expected that we choose to lay the burden on others and of course the media.  He loves us and He wants us to converse (i.e., pray) with Him without judging ourselves or letting others judge us.

This book is really about understanding the characteristics that are not particularly valued in our society.  Love, gentleness, lowliness, humility, sharing, tenderness, caring and more.  We have grown up thinking self-sufficiency is of the utmost importance not realizing that the far more important concept (to use an overused cliché) is to ‘let go and let God’.

Forgiveness is another of the characteristics that is not valued.  The book goes into great detail on this subject.  It is impossible to be considered Abba’s Child if we do not learn to forgive.  Whether it is a personal affront, abuse, a legacy of racism, or any other sin against us Jesus says to forgive just like we would be expected to be forgiven.

Abba’s Child is an excellent study in understanding how love, grace, and forgiveness work together.  I highly recommend this book.  It should be read by and on the bookshelves of every believer.

One last thought…Let yourselves be loved!

A copy of this book was provided for me by Tyndale Blog Review Network/NavPress.  No other remuneration was received.  The thoughts and ideas in this review are entirely my own and are based totally on the book.  If you click on the book picture it will take you to NavPress where you can purchase the book. (I am not an affiliate of this company and receive nothing from them for this option.)

God’s Great Love…

I have finally finished the Book of Deuteronomy and am ready to dig in to Joshua.  I am reading the Word in the Message and Peterson writes some very interesting introductory thoughts about the book.  This one in particular was very compelling, and I quote, “God’s great love and purposes for us are worked out in the messes, storms and sins, blue skies, daily work, and dreams of our common lives, working with us as we are and not as we should be.” (The Message.  Eugene H Peterson.  NavPress. 2004  pg. 263)

God loves us, without question, and really wants what is best for us.  He knows what ‘we should be’ but determines to work with us as we are.  His purpose is to make us the best we can be as we mirror His Son, Jesus.  He knows we are imperfect, sinners, always.  It is not a spur of the moment plan.  God is able to see the past, present and future of each of our lives and He wants to be part of every moment.   His presence is always there we just don’t always choose to honor it.  God’s plan will prosper us and provide for us.

God's Plans

He does nothing without just cause.  He knows the right time, the right place, and the reasons for His actions regarding us.

Ezekial 1423

However, He expects us to communicate with Him through prayer.  And wants others to be doing the same for us.

1 Thessalonians

God knows and He will share His plan.  All we have to do is ask and listen for the response.

Oh, How He Loves Us by David Crowder

Heavenly Father, my prayer today is that You will open our hearts and minds and give us the ability to hear You.  Oh, Lord, when we hear You let us respond as You would have us respond.  I lift this prayer in the Mighty and Awesome Name of Jesus.  Make it so!

He Is Head Over Heals In Love With Us

I’ve recently been giving a lot of thought to God’s love for us.  It must be something He wants me to do because I’ve seen books, reading articles, and listening to other Christians expound on the subject.  Why do I (we) think He can’t possibly mean me (us), even though He assures me (us) repeatedly in His Word.
In Genesis 1:27 we are told that we are created in His image.  Men and women look like God.  Think about it.  Don’t we all sometimes want to look like someone else?  Well, how about God.  Rather than comparing ourselves to others how about comparing ourselves to the One who loved us so much He gave His Son for us.

In Psalms 139:14 the writer is giving praise because he is aware of God’s love through being ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’.  He is in awe of the One who cares more about our well-being than anything else.God protects and sustains us from the time we are born until we have many gray hairs.  It’s truly something He wants to do. Don’t we want to protect and sustain those we love?  Of course we do.  It’s God’s love for us showing through us. (Isaiah 46:4)

Siescape-fetus

Siescape-fetus (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Let’s look at the book of Hosea.  The cycle is repeated over and over.  Hosea marries Gomer, they have a child, she cheats on him and has two more, he continues to forgive her and take her back.  So like God’s love for us; we sin, He saves us, we sin, He forgives, and the cycle goes on and on and on…

The Painting entitled "Jesus Blessing the...

The Painting entitled “Jesus Blessing the Children” (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

John 1:12 says when we receive Him, believe in Him, and trust Him because of His name He makes us His children.  Don’t we make the choice from the moment of conception to love our children even when they are sometimes unlovable?  God does too.We are God’s chosen and dearly loved.  Like all who love others He has expectations for us.  We are to show compassion, kindness, and forgiveness (see Colossians 3:12-14 for the list).  Over all we are to wear a cloak of love.  A Japanese translation says it like this, “Love binds everything together in perfect harmony.”
He wants to love us.  Let Him!
Ah, Lord God, my King, my Shelter, my One and Only I do not deserve to be loved by You, yet You do!  You see my insides and my ‘out-sides’, You know my strongholds, my sins, my every part, yet You still love me.  Oh, Lord, help me to be loving to others, help me to love like You do, with compassion, kindness, and without thought to what it will ‘cost’ me.  What a Mighty God You are.     Make it so!