A KINGDOM OF LOVE
Colossians 1:12-13
12 giving thanks to the Father, who made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the
saints in light, 13 who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into
the Kingdom of the Son of his love, WEB
If we don’t understand the role love plays in the Kingdom of God, we will never fully understand it. If every attribute of the Kingdom was represented by a massive library in heaven, God’s love wouldn’t be just another book among many other books. It would be the bookshelf on which every book rests!
The Apostle Paul emphasized this in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 when he described the absolute spiritual bankruptcy of moving in Kingdom gifts without Kingdom love being the foundation. There are many Scriptures that speak of love’s priority... We are called to make love our greatest aim (1), doing everything in love (2) and keep ourselves in the love of God. (3) 1 John 4:16 says that God not only loves, but love is the very essence of His being. And it is our Heavenly Father’s love that imparts His immeasurable value to us as we learn to live in love. |
This became more clear than ever before when my wife, Anneliese was talking about her love for our 20 month old grandson, Levi. With her eyes filled with tears, she said when she looks at him, she sees a part of herself in him and this connectedness touches her at the very core of her being.
At that holy moment, I saw a glimpse of how our Abba sees us. Little Levi has nothing to offer his grandma but his heart and that is absolutely enough! The bond of love between grandmother and grandson is unbreakable and the love they share is all consuming.
If this is how we feel in our earthly limitations about our kids and grandkids, how much more does our Heavenly Father feel this way about us? (4) ...Simply because He is our Dad (5) and He loves us with an everlasting love that will go on forever! (6)
Love is and will always be the very substance of the Kingdom. As the Father’s love was the focal point of the Son’s life, so it should be with us too. As Jesus said in John 15:9... Even as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love. NIV
At that holy moment, I saw a glimpse of how our Abba sees us. Little Levi has nothing to offer his grandma but his heart and that is absolutely enough! The bond of love between grandmother and grandson is unbreakable and the love they share is all consuming.
If this is how we feel in our earthly limitations about our kids and grandkids, how much more does our Heavenly Father feel this way about us? (4) ...Simply because He is our Dad (5) and He loves us with an everlasting love that will go on forever! (6)
Love is and will always be the very substance of the Kingdom. As the Father’s love was the focal point of the Son’s life, so it should be with us too. As Jesus said in John 15:9... Even as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love. NIV
(1) 1 Corinthians 14:1; (2) 1 Corinthians 16:14; (3) Jude 1:21; (4) Matthew 7:11; (5) 2 Corinthians 6:18; (6) Jeremiah 31:3.