A Greater Love Story
“This is real love – not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” 1 John 4:10
It’s February. The month of love. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Hotels, restaurants, cities are all advertising and enticing individuals to celebrate with them. But you know, there’s so much more to love than flowers, a box of chocolates and a hallmark card. Now, those expressions are nice but if only done once a year and without any constant loving respectful treatment, expression and selfless care to undergird them throughout the entire year then what’s the use? There’s so much more to love…
There’s a greater love, especially when it comes to our God and His love for us. An unbelievable story of God’s love for all mankind. At the heart of this story is God’s boundless love for us and His relentless pursuit of us to forever restore our fractured love relationship with Him. Our love story begins in Genesis 1. The primary cast in this love story? God and each of us – by name. Chapter 1 of our divine love story starts: God Is. God Creates. God Creates Us – yes US in His own loving image for a purposed loving personal relationship with Himself. In fact, Genesis 3:8 seems to indicate that God regularly walked with the first man Adam in the garden in the cool of the day. Wait? What? Yeah. Wow. God blesses and commands them. God the Father lovingly sets out to provide them with and protect them from. He sets them – us up with all they would ever need or want. But? But it wasn’t enough. A thought was mentally deposited by the serpent Satan “Did God really say?” and suddenly doubt, desire, disobedience, personal deception and spiritual destruction of this, mankind’s love story with God was complete. Or was it? It sure seemed like it. But there’s a greater love.
In Genesis 3:15 God hints at the manner in which He will personally restore this His – our love relationship Himself. “…Her son will crush the serpent’s head…you will bite his heel.” Enter Jesus; His death and triumphant resurrection. God lovingly provides a way – ‘The Way’ to forever restore this His – our love relationship with Himself. “For God so loved the world that He gave….” There’s a greater love – yes, God’s love for each of us. 1 Corinthians 15:22 says, “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” Now that’s love! Wow! “For God so loved US that He gave…” Now the question becomes, will we accept God’s provision to restore our fractured love relationship with Him? I sure am! I sure do – every day. How about you?
So eternally thankful for God’s Greater Love,
Pastor Doug
P.S. Don’t forget that our NEW worship service times begin this Sunday, February 2 at 9 and 10:30 a.m. We will begin LIVE streaming each service in their entirety as well on Facebook, c3ocala.com/live and YouTube. Praying. Humbled. Expectant.
