Meditation:
A LOVE THAT NEVER LETS GO!
Dr. Joel Albert, Aurangabad
One of the most well-known verses of the Bible, John 3:16 starts with these words “ For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son..”
Greater words could not have been spoken to summarize and explain the epitome of the word ‘love’ itself. We could go into the Greek language and the four different words that reveal four different types of love, But I would like to draw you attention to the word ‘love’ mentioned here. Its the word agapaó (derived from agape , which means ‘ unconditional love’).
In a time and age where the word ‘love’ has been misused and misinterpreted, it is important for us to see love through the following three aspects,
1. His Coming
2. His Crucifixion
3. His companionship
1. HIS COMING
When the verse says HE ‘gave’ His only begotten son, it means there is an action involved in the love of God! In fact it shows us something so unknown to many of us. The word ‘so loved’ is not a noun but a verb phrase with a verb showing the action of loving and the adverb ‘so’ reminding of the matchless and magnanimous, all-encompassing nature of His love!
Many of us think that love is a noun. You see people of the world using the term “I fell in love”. Well, seeing someone and ‘falling in love’ with them has a totally different meaning in the scripture. Matt 5:28 says that it is not love but lust that would lead you into sin! True love is something that we labour for, as Paul reminds the Thessalonian believers in 1 Thess1:3. Even Heb 6:10 mentions the same verse.
What I mean to say is that love is revealed through actions and not mere feelings! God was not smitten by the world and He didn’t fall in love with it. In fact He saw the whole world going towards death and destruction.
And in-spite of them going against Him, He still loved them and that love is revealed through the action of sending His only begotten son. In fact we can say He loved the world so much that he sent the one he loved to most to save them! Oh the wonderful love of God! The love that came to seek me, personified in the Lord Jesus Christ!
2. HIS CRUCIFIXION
Not only did God love us by sending His son but we see love personified on the cross of calvary, where the Lord Jesus Christ di the ultimate sacrifice for the redemption of mankind! Rom 5:6-8, especially v. 8 reminds us how God demonstrated his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us!
Is it not the greatest act of love ever done? Isn’t it amazing to see Christ taking up the punishment that we deserved and emptying Himself, being obedient even to death on the cross? His love may be revealed through His decision to come but His love culminates in the demonstration of the ultimate sacrifice on the cross.
It’s truly something for us to introspect when we speak of trying to to be Christ-like in our behaviour. In a time and age where selfishness, ego and pride are just too important to a person, we have the timeless example of the man of calvary who demonstrated His love through the ultimate selfless act of giving it all to give it all to people who did not deserve even a bit of that love.
3. HIS COMPANIONSHIP
We saw the love of the Lord through His coming and His crucifixion. But this love is continues to bind us and bring us into a permanent relationship with Him that last forever and ever! 1 John 3:1
says “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:” It tells us about the commencement of this relationship. The fact that the love
is bestowed upon us implies the endless abundance of the love for all of us who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and accepted Him as our Lord and personal saviour.
We come into a relationship with the heavenly father through our faith in His son and this relationship will never ever end! 1 Cor 13:13 reminds us that one day faith will turn to sight, hope will turn to reality but the love that sought us, the love that was personified in the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross is the same love which will abide when we are in His presence for all eternity.
Let these words of the hymn-writer be our prayer and song as we think about this love, so amazing and so divine.
O love that will not let me go
I rest my weary soul in thee
I give thee back the life I owe
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be
