He Loved

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1 John 4:19

1 John 4:19 ESV

I’ve been told (more than once) that I was lucky to have a dad who “sat with me” and taught me things…primarily things from scripture. He also taught me how to write, draw, formulate a project, and how to rest in God. He called that last one, “giving my problems to God.”

When I was a young adult and was told that I was lucky I was confused. Didn’t everybody's dad spend time with them? Because my dad taught that Father God loves and wants to spend time with us, I thought that’s just what every dad did.

I mean, when you love someone you want to spend time with them, right?

We do that because it’s the natural thing to do.

In 1 John 4:19 we are told, “We love because he first loved us.”

It seems like the best example of spending time with someone because you love them is from Jesus and His disciples.

When I was younger I thought Jesus called His disciples because he needed to train an army to spread the message of the Gospel. While that was one of the results of calling the disciples as I grew older I began to see that was not Jesus’ primary reason.

Scripture tells us in Matthew 4 when Jesus saw Peter and Andrew fishing he invited them to come with him so they could fish for men. Because scripture didn’t specify that Jesus loved them and he called them, I previously thought the ‘doing’ task was more important than anything else.

I was young. I was wrong. The underlying premise that happened that day is that when Jesus saw Peter and Andrew he knew their hearts. Jesus was and is pure love. In that instant Jesus loved them. He wanted to spend time with them. Then He saw the possibility of who Peter and Andrew could love. He saw love.

Jesus is omniscient. Jesus saw who they were and who they could be. God Jesus is not constrained by time.

And so it is with you (and everyone). Jesus not only sees who you are, He sees who you will be.

Deborah

acrazyjourney.com

Deborah

acrazyjourney.com