Understanding the Love of God
Devotion 1- Understanding the Love of God
Our finite human mind can never fully comprehend and
define an infinite God. If God is incomprehensible, then so is His love, for
God is Love. If we can never fully fathom it, how can we precisely define it?
However, let’s try to examine the full counsel of God in
the Scriptures to have a glimpse of His divine love so that we may all learn
and grow.
In this important
prayer which Jesus prayed just before Calvary, He prayed that the glory that He
had with the Father would be given to us, and that we may be one as He and the
Father are one.
The Scripture
clearly says that we are to be “made perfect in one”. However, this oneness
will come because the glory that Jesus had is given to us. Note, it is the
glory from God which makes us one and not our oneness that brings the glory. What is this glory that will make us one with
the Trinity?
Ex.33:17-19 – “So
the Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have
spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.” And
he said, “Please, show me Your glory.” Then
He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim
the name of the Lord before you. I will be
gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I
will have compassion.”
In the Old Testament, when Moses asked to
see God’s glory, God revealed His goodness, graciousness, mercy, kindness and
compassion which in essence are all the qualities and elements of God’s divine love.
The Shekinah (God’s dwelling) glory which was so mysterious under the Old Covenant
is unveiled for us in the New Covenant as the great love of God. All the
sacrifices and shadow types of the Old Testament were fulfilled in Christ who
gave Himself in love for us.
1 Jn.4:8 – “He who does not love does not know God, for God
is love.”
1 Jn.4:16 – “And we
have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love,
and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.”
It is obvious
from all these Scriptures and many more, that the glory of God and the love of
God are two sides of the same coin! They are the very substance from the person
and presence of God.
So, when we say
the whole earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord (Hab.2:14), it can
also understand as the whole earth shall be filled with God’s Love.
Love
is the foundation of the nature and character of God. It is the basis of everything
that God has revealed to mankind in the Holy Scriptures. He is a being of
infinite love; His character is the very personification of love. Thus, to truly know love, we
must know God. And to know God is to know love. God and love are one!
Since the glory
of God and the love of God are one and the same, to grow in love is to grow in
the glory of the Lord! The more love we have, the more glory we demonstrate. There
is no way we can minister in the glory of God without releasing love.
When we minister in love, we are ministering in His Glory!
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