The Love We Scorn, The Love We Neglect, The Love We Require

"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the propitiation for our sins." I Jn 4:10

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him SHALL NOT perish, but have everlasting life.  Jn 3:16

"But God demonstrated his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Rom 5:8 

During our journey through life, however short or long, and especially in these times of constant, hectic bombardment of every onslaught imaginable, we may often find ourselves complacent, inured, skeptical, even apathetic. It becomes all too easy to be critical of everything and everyone. We may lose our joy of life, our joy of love, our joy of salvation. Then, it is way past time to recount, reconsider, and meditate on what really matters in this life:

"Let all those that seek you rejoice and be glad in you: and let such as love your salvation say continually, Let God be magnified." Ps 70:4 

" O how I love your law! it is my meditation all the day...I will delight myself in your commandments, which I have loved." Ps 119:97,47

" I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice and my supplications." Ps 116:1

" I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. " Pr 8:17

"Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit." Ps 51:12

"And my soul shall be joyful in Yahweh; it will rejoice in His salvation." Ps 35:9

" I will greatly rejoice in Yahweh. My soul shall be joyful in my God. For He clothed me with garments of salvation..." Is 61:10

These days our constant Adversary offers a sugary, honey coated pill of bitterness to all who would partake. Those who take his pill savor the initial sweetness, find delight in its beginning, and merrily continue thinking its flavor will last. But hidden in the coating is the numbing drug of faithlessness, unbelief, doubt, and restlessness. This makes the inner core of bitterness entirely palatable, so that it takes hold almost unawares. Once the seed of bitterness is implanted, it grows and springs forth its fruit in abundance. One of its primary objectives is to supplant, replace and cause forgetfulness of the need for the Love of God.

"The wicked shall be turned to Sheol, all the nations forgetting God. " Ps 9:17

"So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish:" Job 8:13

Even those who have called upon His Name are not immune:

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you shall be no priest to me: seeing you have forgotten the law of your God..." Hs 4:6
"Beware that you forget not the LORD your God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command you this day." Deut 8:11 

May each of us take a moment every day to contemplate and remember God's Love for us. It was His Love that creates us, His Love that delivers, redeems, strengthens and sustains us. Let us drink daily from the Living Water of Life...