“I love you. I know that you have heard that before as one of those trite encouragements; but when I say that I love you, it means more than you could possibly realize. My love is not limited by your understanding. Think about this so that you might grasp a small corner of understanding. I have created your planet so that you might have a place to live while My salvation plan is being worked out. Air is made so that you might be able to survive. That is just the very beginning.
“My thoughts are always toward you. There is never a time when you are not in my heart. There is never a moment when I am not focusing on your needs. My attention is continuously toward you for your good. The kind of love that you can perceive does not resemble the all-encompassing, never tiring devotion that I have for you. If you ever would like to experience what My love really is, just ask Me. I will pour My love toward you in a season that you need it most. You must be ready to receive it or else you would be overcome. I would love to show a little more of My love to you each time you ask for it. Ask Me and you will never be the same.”
Eph. 3:17-21 AMP
17) May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love,
18) That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God’s devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it];
19) [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself!
20) Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]—
21) To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it).
So often we are told, “This walk with the Lord is not about us, it’s about Jesus and the plans of God.” That is very true. Every one of us should get our eyes off ourselves and focus on what God is doing. We should not misuse His mercy and grace. He is not a push button God to be used for our every whim. Salvation is about His plans and not ours.
Something wonderful, however, is also true. This life with the Lord is about us. Father God formed us. He breathed His own life into us. His mercy never gives up on us. Jesus embraced agony for us. We are the focus of every Word in the Bible.
You are so valuable to God that everything stated in His Word is about His noticing you and me and our need of Him. Everything we read about has been done and is being done, so that we can have freedom in Him. Everything is about a loving Father releasing Himself to us so that we can prosper.
To understand that we are at the center of His attention is almost too much to comprehend. To grasp that nothing we could ever do could stop Him from loving us with His God kind of love – the kind that never gives up on us, never condemns us, always is for us - is enough to boggle our minds.
During one of those times that I was overwhelmed with this “trying to be good, becoming like Jesus stuff,” He impressed on my mind a small glimpse of His love and mercy. He showed me that in His plans, He goads us to the perfection of Jesus; but it is not our job to even attempt to get there. It is His job to take us there. He desires to do it all. The only thing we can do is submit to His working, and even that is done by His power. In the process, He said that all He wanted is to be with us. Everything that Jesus did was so that we could once again be with Him, available to and capable of receiving His love and attention.
The thought of the Creator of everything noticing us, caring for us, embracing us, having mercy on us, perfecting us; and, above all, loving us forever is quite overwhelming. That love, however, is the very core of the gospel. It is the essence of the character of our God. It is motivation for the cross, and we are the privileged recipients. What an astounding, glorious Lord! What a wonderful freedom!
Needing to remember to bask in His love and embrace His favor along the journey,
Jim Corbett
