Today’s Encouragement is, “God is love.” 1 John 4:8b NLT.
God is Love-
His Love is perfect and pure. Ours, of course, is far from it. Sin, flesh, wants, needs, and desires taint our love. We use the word too loosely. But God doesn’t use the word loosely; he makes no mistake, no exaggeration – when He tells us to love Him and others, or that He “so Loved the world that He Gave” Jesus for us (John 3:16). So that… We could have eternal life! But not only that, so that we could be forgiven! But that’s still not all – so that we could become His beloved children!
He removed all barriers between us and Himself through the sacrificial death of Jesus. Now, my friends… nothing can separate us (Romans 8:38). And Jesus prayed that we might be one as you and I are one (John 17:22)
Now, marriage is a picture, a symbol, an image of our spiritual relationship with God. It is an imperfect symbol, but it reveals excellent truth.
Consider that there are good marriages and poor marriages, faithful and unfaithful, strong and weak. The same goes for our relationship with God.
There are marriages in which one person continuously serves the other, often to their detriment. Some marriages involve one spouse being abusive, neglectful, or taking the other for granted. Since God is perfect, all failures in our relationship with Him are ours.
And yet, He is patient, forgiving, and still perfectly loving. Always, Eternally.
Thank You, Father, that You desire us, and You want us to be in perfect relationship with You, as You designed… from the beginning.
Song of Solomon
Martin Smith
Today’s Encouragement 