God is Love

by Shelly Erickson

One of my favorite TV sitcoms was, "Everybody Loves Raymond." My Mom and I agreed not to call each other during the show (pre DVRs) because we both enjoyed the characters, humor and in all honesty the show probably made us feel a little bit better about our own family dysfunction. If you're part of a family - you have dysfunction. That's reality.

In one episode Raymond's young daughter Ally asks him, "What is the meaning of life?" Ray, stunned and totally lost for words, looks to his family for help. Frank, his dad, waiting not so patiently for his wife Marie's dessert cut right to the chase with his typical "rough around the edges" opinion,

"Here's What Life Is. You're Born. You Go To School. You Go To Work. You Die. That's It. That's All. Cannoli, Marie."

Funny stuff. However, I believe that in Frank Barone's heart, he knew that God desires more to life than that. 

God did not do what He did for us so that we can go to school, work and die. God loves us.  God is love and out of that love for us God did this for you and me;  “God so loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 This is more than a slogan printed on poster board at sporting events. It is true. God loves us this much.

Another fact, God loves us the same today as yesterday and God will love us the same tomorrow - unconditionally. Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." This fact does not change.

Feel like a failure, screw-up, misfit? God loves you. He doesn't see you as any of these. He looks at you with love. God created you out of love and for love! "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb....I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Psalm 139:13-14

Hear this from Romans 8:38-39 "And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." Amen!

Feel like you're not worthy of this kind of love? Well you can try and run but you can't hide. Psalm 139: 7-10 tells us, "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast."

Jesus tells us in John 10:10, "I came so they might have life, and have it abundantly."

Are you sensing a theme?

God loves you. He wants you to live a life of love (abundantly!) - even in the tough times. You cannot escape from his love - no matter what you think or think about yourself. He will pursue you - endlessly - because God is crazy in love with you. You are God's child.

So, Frank, like you, we will go to school and we will work and do our best, but we will also trust and lean on God's truths and try to live fully until that day God brings us home to be with Him.

With God, all things are possible and it's all good.... oh, and God, please bless the cannoli. Amen!

-- Shelly

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