But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8, NIV)
In my monthly regional newsletter, Links of Faith, I reflected upon our recent trip to Alabama with 14 golfers to play for four days at the Robert Trent Jones Trail courses in Auburn, Alabama. This marked the seventh year that I have joined this special Links Fellowship, with participants who travel from various places in the southern region. I had the privilege to share a devotional one morning before we played golf about the amazing love of God. It was a message that personally convicted and inspired me to love God more.
C.S. Lewis once said, “If Christianity is false, it is of no importance. If true, it is of infinite importance. What can never be said is that it is moderately important.”
Today’s verse states a truth of infinite importance. God loves us. He not only loves us, he has demonstrated this love to us in the past and continues to exhibit this love by his character today. His love is so great that he gave his Son as a demonstration of that love. First John 4:7-21 speaks boldly of this God of love, with verses 8 and 16 stating plainly, “God is love.”
So, what is our response? A pastor friend once told me that a man came to him very distraught and confused about the Christian life. This man, thinking he was confessing, said, “I guess I don’t love God enough.” My pastor friend interjected, “Oh, that’s not the problem. You don’t understand how much God loves you. If you would begin to understand how much he loves you, your life will be lived in a beautiful response of love back to God.”
I recently visited my 96-year-old mother in a dementia care facility not far from our home. She has been in this facility for the past three years. She does not know who we are, or who she is, or where she is. Her frail body shrinks daily and her world has diminished to one room and the dining hall. On this visit, I sat in a chair very close to her wheelchair, looked into her face, and said, “I love you.” She looked right into my eyes and for the first time in a long while responded with, “I love you, too.”
When I climbed into my car to leave, I was filled with many emotions and various thoughts. The main thought became very clear to me—this is the Gospel message! God said, “I love you.” And how do we respond to this message? We say, “I love you, too.”
God really does love us and tells us so in many ways. Our response is to love him in return. Our life becomes new and profound when we just love him back. I love God with all of my heart because I believe he loves me with all of his. He started all this, so I desire to finish well.
We have the privilege to respond to God’s miraculous gift of grace with, “I love you, too.” And when we love him in return, it becomes clear what we are to do.
—
Randy Wolff
October 6, 2014
Copyright 2014 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.