Radical Thought: Love is a response to grace
Celebration of Grace, pg. 53
"Love flows as a response to grace."
We love, because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
If you don't see His grace, that you are forgiven, accepted, and loved, and see what He's finished, then it will be impossible to authentically love others. You will see your needs met in them, you will still expect them to fulfill your spiritual, emotional, psychological, intellectual, financial, relational, etc... needs. And when they don't you'll reject them or manipulate them in some way to get your needs somehow met in the new circumstances you have created for them and yourself. But in responding to His grace what needs are there to find in others? You are joined, in union, have an intimate relationship, IN, and He IN you, yes, HIM, the all-loving, all-powerful Creator. You know His Word, Jesus Christ, personally. You need nothing from others and therefore you can truly love them for there is nothing they need give you in return.
"Love flows as a response to grace."
We love, because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19)
If you don't see His grace, that you are forgiven, accepted, and loved, and see what He's finished, then it will be impossible to authentically love others. You will see your needs met in them, you will still expect them to fulfill your spiritual, emotional, psychological, intellectual, financial, relational, etc... needs. And when they don't you'll reject them or manipulate them in some way to get your needs somehow met in the new circumstances you have created for them and yourself. But in responding to His grace what needs are there to find in others? You are joined, in union, have an intimate relationship, IN, and He IN you, yes, HIM, the all-loving, all-powerful Creator. You know His Word, Jesus Christ, personally. You need nothing from others and therefore you can truly love them for there is nothing they need give you in return.
posted by GBT at
Saturday, September 10, 2005
