Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Love Believes All Things; God Believes All Things

The word in the original language for “believe” is the same word used to describe giving allegiance to Jesus. It is more than simply agreeing that something is true. There is a trust factor. There is a commitment factor.

 

This is not saying that love accepts everything a person says. Lies and deceit are not acceptable. They pull us away from God’s design, from joy and peace. They should be challenged.

 

This is saying that love does not give up on people. God does not give up on people.

 

If anyone had reason to give up on people, it would  be God. He sees every flaw, every failure, every sin. He knows every lie and excuse.

 

But he also sees people “in Christ.” He sees them through Jesus-colored glasses. He knows their potential. He knows their gifts. He knows their destiny.. He knows what he planned we should be like, and how we should be blessing the world. Sin has not cancelled out those plans he has made. It will take a different process, a different learning curve, than if sin had not infected the world. He intends to guide, to enable, so we can fulfill our destiny.

 

He believes in us, and in his own ability (the Spirit’s ability) to mold us, to refine us, and to renovate our lives. It is good for us. It is good for the world. And to see his children renewed is good for God. Not that he needs outside validation. Rather, to see his children move toward fulfilling his design gives him joy, because he knows it will give his children joy. It will cause a small ripple of joy through the world. And the small ripples will reinforce one another, until there is a huge tsunami of joy washing over the world.

 

For God, the tsunami is as certain as the sun coming up. So, he pushes forward in the lives of his children. Each one has a part in this grand mosaic, so he gives each one his complete attention, and he does not lose heart over any of them.

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