Raymond had given up. It seems he’d failed at every opportunity in life. Though he was still a young man, his hopes were drained. What he’d always wanted to do was help people, but now he couldn’t even help himself.
His meager inheritance from his dad yielded only enough money for a semester in college. And when he missed the filing deadline to receive a grant, he’d have to drop out and move out of his dorm.
After receiving the news, he stopped for a while at his mom’s grave, who’d committed suicide when he was seven. Going on in the grave yard, he found his dad’s grave, dug almost a year ago. He was a consummate entrepreneur, always on the brink of something big. He had such high hopes for his latest discoveries and was sure he could use what he’d developed to make a difference, to help those in desperate need. But a stroke cut his life and dreams short.
Now, his only child was the one in desperate need.
Raymond sat down on a bench, buried his head in his hands and wept. A feeling of emptiness and poverty filled his soul.
“Raymond Anderson?”
Raymond opened his eyes to find an elderly black man standing over him.
“Yes.”
“Someone instructed me to give you this,” he said, handing Raymond a legal-sized brown envelope.
Raymond received the envelope, noticing there was no return address – just his name.
“Who’s it from?” Raymond asked, looking up. But the man was gone.
He opened the envelope and began to read:
Mr. Raymond Anderson,
I’m delighted to inform you that shortly before your father passed away, a large corporation purchased his patent right out. Based on the terms of the contract and his will, which I drew up for him as his lawyer, you have received $500,000,000 as his sole heir. He has also designated you as his benevolence agent to give away another $500,000,000 to the charities and needs of your choice. Even though this money has been at your disposal for almost a year, your father instructed me to wait until now to let you know.
Please come by my law office as soon as you can so we can meet and begin turning over the funds to you.
Sincerely,
Walter H. James Being Made Aware
Raymond suddenly became aware of his possessions and grand purpose. This knowledge changed everything about his life. He had a mission he could wake up to every morning.
As believers in Jesus Christ, a change in our awareness could have even greater ramifications on our lives than Raymond had. In our case, what we need to be aware of is beyond change and corruption.
God’s love.
What are some ways that an awareness of God’s love for us can transform our lives?
God’s Love Drives out Fear
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love (I John 4:18).
As I examine my heart, fear is the root of much of my sin. Fear of failure. Fear of rejection. Fear of poverty. Fear of unhappiness. Fear of . . .
Fear causes worry and robs me of peace, which is essential.
In the above verses, John writes about a perfect love flowing from God, which drives out fear. To the degree that we realize God’s amazing love for us, our fears melt away and peace reigns in our hearts.
As I ponder these truths concerning God’s perfect love, different nagging fears come to mind, particularly fear of failure and fear of rejection. These fears have sometimes sent me down destructive paths. But more and more, the reality of a love that literally casts out fear is growing in my heart.
As I write, I imagine a life with no fear. Fearless. Oh, the freedom! Oh, the joy! And it’s not just something to wish for. God’s perfect love is genuine, the destroyer of all fears.
God’s Love Enables Our Obedience
And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40 NASB)
These verses summarize the Bible, instructing us first to love.
We love, because He first loved us (I John 4:19).
But our love must originate with His love for us,
Because God loves us, we are able to love Him and others.
God’s love for us empowers and guides us. Like a cart being pulled along by a horse (God’s love), our works of obedience (loving) flow from His love for us.
It’s not the other way around. Our obedience doesn’t gain God’s love. That’s like putting the cart before the horse and horses make terrible cart pushers.
God’s love for us gives us the ability to obey His commands to love.
God’s Love Roots and Grounds Us
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:14-19 NASB)
God’s love for us surpasses our knowledge. It’s beyond our understanding and our intellect. Paul prays we might grasp the superlative dimensions of God’s love in our hearts. What does not fit in our heads can dwell in our hearts as God is pleased to illuminate it.
God’s love roots us and grounds us, establishing a firm foundation for our lives. When God’s surpassing love is revealed and made real to us, our souls are increasingly secured against the storms and trials of life.
Prayer
Lord, may my comprehension of Your amazing love for me continue to grow as I bathe in it. Thank You for chasing away my every fear with Your perfect love. Please remind me quickly when fears arise. Thank you that Your love enables me to love You. May I receive Your love and give it away. Thank You for delighting in being with me. Please help me grasp Your love more and more. Steady my heart on the firm foundation of Your delight in me. Amen.
Reflections
Previously, in Embracing God’s Amazing Love, we established that God’s love for us:
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Cannot be altered by anything in this world, whether seen or unseen.
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Motivated Him to rescue us through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ
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Is modeled by Jesus’ love for us.
In this post we learn that God’s love for us:
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Chases away ALL our fears
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Is our source of love, enabling us to love
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Roots and grounds our soul, no matter what we go through
In today’s world of disunity and hatred, it’s essential to realize God’s love for us every day, in every way
Note: Unless otherwise noted, all referenced Scripture is from the NASB 1995. Photos generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Other posts in our Everlasting Way Series:
Learning How to Overcome Emotional Numbness
Are we More Like Batman or Spider-Man
Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.
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Nonfiction books by the Author:
This collection of devotionals chronicles a heartfelt journey from a life of striving and self-reliance to one of growing surrender and trust in God.
Through personal stories of family struggles, cancer, grief, and unexpected trials, the devotions show that true, unshakeable joy comes not from perfect circumstances, but from the constant, loving presence of Jesus Christ.
It’s an invitation to learn to let go of our burdens and find growing peace in God’s greater story.
Because joy is rooted in God and is eternal, it doesn’t ebb and flow with the waves of circumstances. In fact, as we grow in our understanding of joy, we can even experience it more acutely when life is hard. Why? Because God uses trials to conform us into the image of Christ. With this awareness, which gives us glimpses of God’s greater purposes, we rejoice because of His masterful work to free us from needing anything but Him.
For these reasons, and many others, joy in the Lord is commanded in scripture. It’s not just a good idea, it’s vital to our journey as human beings. Rhythms of Joy
Novels by the Author:
What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for? Beyond Time
By finding two undelivered letters in an old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowingly set off a series of events which uncovers a plot to wipe out a whole family. Hope Remains
Please Check out the Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.