We Have Been Conditioned Against Father's Love

 There is one very important thing about Father’s love that we have been conditioned in this world to not understand. It has to do with conditions and measurements. Everything in this world is limited by conditions and comes with some kind of measurement to define level or quantity. Because of that, there is nothing in this world that we can use to try to describe Father’s love.

Many of us struggle with the concept that Father’s love is not dependent on our behaviour. His love does not increase or decrease according to my thoughts or actions. His love is a constant. It is impossible for him to love me less or to love me more. He always desires the best for me. He always hopes that I will take what he gladly offers. His design is not to destroy me but to increase me. He has loved all of humanity since the beginning of time because he decided to, and he has never broken a promise. His word is the most solid thing in all of eternity. This removes the idea of measurement from his love.

The only thing we can measure with Father’s love is our revelation of it. Paul had written his hope that believers would be able to grasp how high, and deep and wide it is. This is very difficult for us to grasp because love in this world increases and decreases and often requires some kind of catalyst to increase or decrease.

Sometimes we compare Father’s love to a mother’s but this example falls very short. It is true that due to his love for us he will discipline us to increase us. Punishment takes away from us but discipline (correction) moves us toward a change that increases us. Mother’s don’t always get that right, nor do fathers. Sometimes we spend far more time punishing our children for our sake than we do correcting them for their strengthening and increase..

It is often the imperfections of a parent’s love that cause us to struggle with the understanding that there is no increase or decrease with father’s love and there are no conditions attached. Father loves the atheist as much as he loves me. Jesus went to the cross while we all were “yet sinners”. His death on the cross gave everyone the potential to become the children of God. The difference is that I accepted that free gift whereas others have rejected it. But neither of those decisions changed how much he loves each of us.

Love is not what is going to keep people out of hell. It is only the belief in and acceptance of Jesus’s loving act of redemption that will keep us from that fate. Father’s love also preserves our freedom to choose because love can only exist in the place of freedom of choice. The sad part about this is that the only limits on Father’s love is what we put on it.

Even with those who say they believe and accept Jesus’ loving act of redemption there exists a poverty of love because they are not willing to imagine that his love for them could be so great and constant. They limit him by their self-condemnation for their past and close themselves from receiving the greater part of the blessings he has prepared for them. Paul stated if Father did not withhold the Son from us, what lesser things would he deny us? This self-condemnation comes from people’s experience with punishment over correction, no matter if Jesus said differently.

It’s not always going to be sunshine and daffodils. We require a lot of discipline and building up. But even in those moments he wants us to live in the mindset of the “quiet waters” and “meadows” of where we walk with him in relationship. Paul tells us that discipline should never be a source of discouragement for us because it is actually proof of our “sonship”.

If you really want to walk in all that he has planned for you, trust that his love is unchanging, constant and unconditional. Such a mindset won’t change Father but it will certainly change you and allow you to see the Kingdom as it truly is, because trust is the mark of a loving child. Don’t allow the conditioning of this world to cause you to live a lesser blessing.

Forgetting The Power Of Our God

It is amazing the short term memory with which most of us suffer. We certainly live in the moment, forgetting the experience that has gotten us to this place. Yesterday we were praising the Lord for his great provision, the amazing way he took care of our need. But today we are back to wringing our hands because we have no idea how we are going to overcome today's challenge.

We all do it.

Maybe we don't do it all the time but we are still guilty of setting aside our trust in the Lord during certain key periods of our lives. Even Moses had his moments. I say even Moses, not because he had something greater than us but because he had seen so much. He didn't have Jesus or the testimony we have, but he had hands-on experience with the provision and deliverance of Yahweh. Yet, we find this in Numbers:

"The people I'm with are six hundred thousand on foot and you're saying, 'I will give them meat, and they will eat for a month.' Can flocks and herds be found and slaughtered for them? Or can all the fish in the sea be found and caught for them?" (Numbers 11:21-22)

The people had been complaining against Yahweh because they had grown tired of manna and they wanted meat. They were in a desert where they could not plant crops and where there was very little to hunt or trap. Yahweh was sustaining them with food from heaven but they wanted meat. Being in a desert we can understand Moses question about Yahweh's promise of meat for so many people for such a long period of time but we should not forget to whom he was talking.

"The Lord said to Moses, 'Is the Lord's power too weak? Now you will see whether my word will come true for you or not.'" (v. 23)

Is the Lord's power too weak? How many times have we heard that same voice ask us this in the darkest moments of our lives? Jesus told us that what is impossible for humans is possible for God. We need to remind ourselves of this fact every day, whether we need that reminder or not. When we live in that reality, the reality of the Kingdom, every day, then when those occasions happen upon us, we will walk through them without fear, anxiety and doubt.

It can help to keep a little note book and record all the things that Jesus sees us through and to review these things once a week. It is a good reminder of his power, ability and goodness. If we think about it for just a moment, we have made it through every crisis we have ever faced. He always sees us through but instead of crossing the finish line bruised and battered he wants us to cross in great triumph, with praise on our lips.

It may be difficult for us to understand but Jesus wants us to succeed. It is true that he loves us but his great desire is to bring Father glory. Our success brings Father glory. Our triumph over tragedy, our victory over fear, praising in the dark times, walking amidst our enemy with heads held high and a heart full of love are just a few of the things that brings Father glory through us. Jesus has a vested interest in our triumph over all things. Moses understood this in the desert, that the failure of Israel would rob Yahweh of his glory, but there were small moments when he forgot that everything is possible for God.

If you forgot today, it is okay, you can still smile because Jesus loves to remind us just how good and great is our Father. We are loved. He is for us. His desire is to see us succeed in all things and to live a life of great victory. It doesn't mean there are not dark valleys and things to overcome. After all, it requires a battle to have victory.