God Pursues a Love Relationship

Monday, October 17, 2011

God Pursues a Love Relationship

God takes the initiative.  He chooses us, loves us, and reveals His eternal purposes for our lives.

In our natural human state we do not seek God on our own initiative:

Romans 3:10-12:  10 As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one."

If we are to have a relationship with Him and His Son, God must take the initiative.  This is exactly what He does.

John 6:44-45, 65:  44 "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.  65 He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him."

Personalized:  The love God focuses on my life is an everlasting love.  From that love He has pursued me.   He has drawn me with cords of love when I was not His friend but His enemy.  He gave His own Son to die for me.  To firmly anchor my experiencing God and knowing His will, I must be absolutely convinced of God’s love for me.

Personalized:  Jesus came to Saul and revealed the Father’s purposes of love for him.  This is also true in my life.  I do not choose Him.  He chooses me, loves me, and reveals His eternal purposes for my life.  

Romans 8:29-30:” 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

This passage in Romans is written about me!  I am one of the ones He foreknew!  I am predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His son!  I am firstborn among many bothers!  I am Called!  I am Justified! And I will be glorified!  Wow how exciting, how humbling.  It is one thing to read the scriptures and be in awe of them, it is quite another to realize that God is indeed talking about me!  How awesome, how humbling!  But it still isn’t all about me it is about Him.  He foreknew me, He predestined me, He conformed me, He bore me, He justified me, He will glorify me!  You know it is great to personalize the scriptures but it is foolish, reckless and just plain stupid and self-centered to only look at what is being done for me and not look at the most important part, the One who does it for and to me, my God and King!  This thought is perfectly illustrated by Jesus in John 15:16, 19: 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

From the workbook…

Do you realize God determined to love you?  Apart from that, you never would have become a Christian.  He had something in mind when He called you.  He took the initiative.  He opened your understanding.  He drew you to Himself.  When you responded to His invitation, He brought you into a love relationship with Himself.  You would never know that love, be in the presence of that love, or experience that love if God had not first reached out to you.  You cannot know Gods activity unless He takes the initiative to reveal it to you.

Summary Statements

·        God always takes the initiative in this love relationship.

·        I do not choose Him.  He chooses me, loves me, and reveals His eternal purposes for my life.

·        I cannot know God’s activity unless He takes the initiative to reveal it to you.

What was the most meaningful statement or Scripture I read today?:

Do you realize God determined to love you?  Apart from that, you never would have become a Christian.  He had something in mind when He called you.  He took the initiative.  He opened your understanding.  He drew you to Himself.  When you responded to His invitation, He brought you into a love relationship with Himself.  You would never know that love, be in the presence of that love, or experience that love if God had not first reached out to you.  You cannot know Gods activity unless He takes the initiative to reveal it to you.

My Prayer is:

Daddy, I realize that you determined to love me and apart from that love I never would have come to You.  I was not saved because I wanted to be forgiven for my sins.  I responded to Your invitation because You loved me.  I have nothing in my life that compares or competes with Your love.  Thank you for loving me.  In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

What does God want me to do in response to today’s study?

I believe God wants me to rest in the love He has for me and to trust Him with all other areas of my life.

The Memory verse for this unit is: Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul and with all your mind.”.  ‘This is the first and greatest commandment.’”  Mathew 22:37-38