God's love for His children is evident through all that He does for us in both the scriptures and modern day. The greatest manifestation of that love was God sending His Only Begotten Son to live and be an example unto us and to suffer pain and die for our sins that we might live again. But why is it that most of us have felt a distance and separation from that love? Some people have thought it's because they're not good enough; others have thought it's because God isn't kind enough. We see in Romans 8:35, and 38-39 that such things are not the case. It says, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?...
"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
"Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord"
So why do we still suffer the pain of feeling forgotten by God? If nothing can stand between us and the love of Christ, why do so many fell abandoned? IN reading this scripture I realized that we are the only thing that can separate us from feeling the love of Christ.
We often hold ourselves back from accepting that love because we don't think we deserve it. But His love in infinite and will always be there waiting for us to open our hearts to it. As we share love, we accept love.
Don't allow anything to stifle the love that God wants to pour upon us, for it is the very thing that allows us to do anything.
Monday, February 20, 2017
Monday, February 13, 2017
To Whom He Forgave Most Loved Most
"There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
"And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
"Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged." (John 7: 41-43)
This account left me to wonder, "Is there not a better way to love Christ deeper without having to perform a worse sin and undergo greater repentance?" I didn't like the idea that we would have to commit greater sins in order to truly love Christ even deeper. I began thinking about how I personally could come closer to Christ in different ways.
The reason greater sin and greater debt allow you to love more is because the Atonement is being used more. It brings you closer to Christ because He has done even more to save you and and you become more indebted to him, yet he frees you of all that debt. The gratitude for salvation feeds the love you have for Him who saves you.
Coming to that conclusion of why a person being forgiven of a greater debt loves more led me to understand that it's the use of the Atonement that deepens that love, not the sin committed and forgiven. Using the Atonement brings us closer to Christ; it opens our hearts to Christ and allows us to trust Him completely, relying wholly on Him to save us. We get to know Him and feel His love for us and we begin reciprocate that love as our hearts are softened and given to Christ.
We should learn to use the Atonement everyday, whether it be through seeking forgiveness for sin, gaining strength to do the things we can't do on our own, serving others, or just striving to be more like Christ. We can all love Him more, just by using the greatest gift He gave us more often and more fully.
"And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
"Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged." (John 7: 41-43)
This account left me to wonder, "Is there not a better way to love Christ deeper without having to perform a worse sin and undergo greater repentance?" I didn't like the idea that we would have to commit greater sins in order to truly love Christ even deeper. I began thinking about how I personally could come closer to Christ in different ways.
The reason greater sin and greater debt allow you to love more is because the Atonement is being used more. It brings you closer to Christ because He has done even more to save you and and you become more indebted to him, yet he frees you of all that debt. The gratitude for salvation feeds the love you have for Him who saves you.
Coming to that conclusion of why a person being forgiven of a greater debt loves more led me to understand that it's the use of the Atonement that deepens that love, not the sin committed and forgiven. Using the Atonement brings us closer to Christ; it opens our hearts to Christ and allows us to trust Him completely, relying wholly on Him to save us. We get to know Him and feel His love for us and we begin reciprocate that love as our hearts are softened and given to Christ.
We should learn to use the Atonement everyday, whether it be through seeking forgiveness for sin, gaining strength to do the things we can't do on our own, serving others, or just striving to be more like Christ. We can all love Him more, just by using the greatest gift He gave us more often and more fully.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)