Grace Fellowship

One of the most difficult concepts for believers to grasp is that loving God does not begin with us.  It begins with Him.  Many sincere people say things like, “If we would all just love God more the world would be a better place.”  The statement implies that we should work harder at loving Him. The truth is we do not have the ability to love God more without His help. Our capacity to love Him increases as we receive a revelation of how much He loves us. We love Him because He first loved us!                                                                           (1 John 4:19)                                                              

 His love is not stingy, petty, self-centered or self-serving.  The love of God is extravagant.  What does it mean to be extravagant?  Webster’s dictionary says, “Exceeding the limits of reason or necessity.  Lacking in moderation, balance, and restraint, excessively elaborate.”  Religion teaches that God wants to give us just enough to meet our basic needs. But the truth is, when it comes to love — God is over-the-top, exceeding-the-limits-of-reason, in love with us!                                                     

When I was seven years old I went “up the country” with my Grandmother to visit my great Uncle Henry and Aunt Myrtle.  I couldn’t wait to see them.  Uncle Henry had a wooden leg with a hole in it, and he claimed a mouse lived in that hole.  One evening we went to visit my great Uncle Boyd.   Being retired, he and his wife loved children, but there wasn’t much for a little boy to do.  He was persistent in attempting to entertain me.  Coming from a large family, I really enjoyed the personalized attention.  He brought out, probably the only toy in the house, a battery-operated monkey that played cymbals.        

Finally, he asked if I would like to have some milk and cookies.  After that there was ice cream, hmmm a kid’s heaven, sweets with adult encouragement!! Then there was my favorite banana pudding, and finally ended with lemon meringue pie!  I literally thought I would throw up if I took another bite.  I didn’t want to hurt his feelings by saying no, but I was so full my stomach hurt!  Uncle Boyd said, “Boy, you like watermelon?”  Slowly I answered, “Uh-huh, yes sir” as the perspiration beaded on my head. Thank the Lord, Grandmother spoke up saying, “Maybe we better take that with us!”  While putting two melons in the car, Uncle Boyd asked, “Are you sure you have had enough to eat, are you full?” 

I had barely known my great Uncle Boyd and for the remainder of his life I do not remember spending a whole afternoon with him. Sitting in the back seat of the car that evening as my stomach ached, I felt accepted, validated and loved! He was over-the-top, out-of-control and extravagant!  This is how God lavishes His extravagant love upon us!                                                                                                                                                  

In Deuteronomy 7:6-8, Moses tries to explain the unexplainable — God’s love.  It certainly wasn’t because they were a great nation or fine specimens of humanity. So, why did God love them?  Verse 8 reads, “It was simply because the LORD loves you.” (NLT)  Trying to answer “why” causes us to enter into a performance-based mentality.  The quality of God’s love proceeds out of Him to us and not the other way around.  It isn’t based on anything we do.  It proceeds totally from Him.                             

God not only wants us to know His love academically, but He wants us to “experience” the love of Christ. (Eph. 3:19, NLT)  When we feel loved of God, in our emotions, we will share that love with others!  1 John 4:16 says, “And we have known and believed the love that God has for us…”

Don’t try and find a reason why, just accept and believe it!