Only one word can do justice to characterize my past week: love. The travelling has come to a halt and I've been able to unpack my suitcase. I am staying at the pastor's house and I spend most of my time at the Children's Home. I see their sleepy faces in the morning and wish them sweet dreams at night. While the kids are at school, I have the privildge to hear and translate the testimonies of how God brought them to the Children's Home. Some of the stories are ones that make my heart leap with joy, while others bring me to my knees with sorrow. It has been such a gift to write about the remarkable children and I am even more amazed that I get to love and be loved by them.
Every moment of these past days has been a pure joy. All of the giggles, hugs, broken English, and tender smiles that have seen more hardship than I will ever know has caused me to fall head over heels in love. It's a love that keeps you up late at night and wakes you up early in the morning. It's a kind of love that draws me closer to my Maker.
So what is this love that our Maker lavishes on His children? Many times the church says, "God is love" as it says in 1 John. But let us think for a moment---words do not originate ideas, they merely express them. To equate love and God is erroneous to the nature of God. If the two are equal, then they are identical and all other attributes of God are inexistent except for that one. The love we see is true of God, but it is not God. To try to grasp the love of god is to try and swallow the water of a bottomless ocean. And if we cannot grasp this limitless love that is only one of God's infinite attributes, how is it possible to tell of this love to others?
A.W. Tozer gives an incredible picture that has helped me better understand this love:
"I can do no more justice to that awesome and wonder-filled theme than a child can grasp a star. Still, by reaching toward the star the child may call the attention to it and even indicate the direction one must look to see it. So, as I stretch my heart toward the high, shining love of God, someone who has not before known about it may be encouraged to look up and have hope."
As Tozer says, we may never know exactly what love is, but we do know how it manifest itself.
Love wills the good of all and never wills harm to any.
Love allow us to recline at the table with Jesus and this has the power to caste out all fear.
Love gives freely and considers nothing it's own.
Love is relentless. God wants our love and will not be satisfied until he gets it. He does not need it, but he wants it. God is completely self sufficient in Himself. He is also completely free, but has allowed His heart to be bound to ours forever.
Love takes pleasure in the object of it's affection. God enjoys and is happy in His love for His people.
Love is active, creative, and kind.
"The love of God is one of the great realities of the universe, a pillar upon which the hope of the world rests."
Every moment of these past days has been a pure joy. All of the giggles, hugs, broken English, and tender smiles that have seen more hardship than I will ever know has caused me to fall head over heels in love. It's a love that keeps you up late at night and wakes you up early in the morning. It's a kind of love that draws me closer to my Maker.
So what is this love that our Maker lavishes on His children? Many times the church says, "God is love" as it says in 1 John. But let us think for a moment---words do not originate ideas, they merely express them. To equate love and God is erroneous to the nature of God. If the two are equal, then they are identical and all other attributes of God are inexistent except for that one. The love we see is true of God, but it is not God. To try to grasp the love of god is to try and swallow the water of a bottomless ocean. And if we cannot grasp this limitless love that is only one of God's infinite attributes, how is it possible to tell of this love to others?
A.W. Tozer gives an incredible picture that has helped me better understand this love:
"I can do no more justice to that awesome and wonder-filled theme than a child can grasp a star. Still, by reaching toward the star the child may call the attention to it and even indicate the direction one must look to see it. So, as I stretch my heart toward the high, shining love of God, someone who has not before known about it may be encouraged to look up and have hope."
As Tozer says, we may never know exactly what love is, but we do know how it manifest itself.
Love wills the good of all and never wills harm to any.
Love allow us to recline at the table with Jesus and this has the power to caste out all fear.
Love gives freely and considers nothing it's own.
Love is relentless. God wants our love and will not be satisfied until he gets it. He does not need it, but he wants it. God is completely self sufficient in Himself. He is also completely free, but has allowed His heart to be bound to ours forever.
Love takes pleasure in the object of it's affection. God enjoys and is happy in His love for His people.
Love is active, creative, and kind.
"The love of God is one of the great realities of the universe, a pillar upon which the hope of the world rests."
rejoicing in hope. more pictures to come!
