A Love None Can Comprehend

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” 1 John 3:1a

One of my favorite things about this season of life has been training up our 3 year old in the Lord. It’s not easy and it’s rarely pretty, but there is no sweeter sound than hearing her sing hymns we’ve learned together or randomly start reciting Bible verses to us.

After our evening family worship time, we convince our highly energized toddler it’s time for bed and start to tuck her in. Recently, I’ve tried to make sure I end each day (no matter how challenging it may have been) telling her “I love being your mama!” My heart just about burst the first time she flipped it around and said “I love being your Selah!” But we’ve added a third sentence to this little catechism.

I’ve ended it by saying, “But who loves you most? More than mama or dada or anyone in the whole wide world?”

She will pause for a moment and then her eyes light up as she announces “God!” Honestly, there is only so much of this my heart can take.

The love of God can be challenging to bring down to my child’s level. Not because she doesn’t know what love is. But because she doesn’t understand what perfect love is. She knows my husband and I love her, but we get frustrated or distracted or selfish and it isn’t always displayed perfectly. She knows she loves her brother, but sometimes he pulls her hair or takes a toy and causes more distress than affection.

So what does the love of God look like? How is it different than the love we have in our earthly relationships?

Take a look at this staggering passage of Scripture:

“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:9-11

The love of God was manifested in the manger, in the birth of Jesus Christ. He didn’t send his Son to a perfect people. He sent his Son to a wayward world. Jesus Christ was born to redeem rebellious sinners.

God has demonstrated his love for us in this beautiful, unmerited paradox. That while we allowed our hearts to be ruled by sinful desires, while we served ourselves, while we defied his authority, God sent our Savior into the world (Romans 5:8).

Though the manger heralded the arrival of God’s love on earth, the ultimate display of God’s love is seen at the cross. The baby born in Bethlehem grew up to be the sacrifice for our sins. He gladly went to the cross to take upon himself the punishment our sins deserved. And he died. Christ gave his life for us. Our sinful lives find redemption in this sacrifice. We find the undeserved gift of salvation from our God.

This is true and perfect love.

And there isn’t a love here on earth that can match it. While love here on earth can cease, the love of God is eternal (Psalm 136:26). While love here on earth can end with death or falter in trials, the love of God cannot be shaken (Romans 8:37-39). While love here on earth can be dependent on 1,000 conditions, the love of God relies on one condition being met - the work of Jesus Christ on the cross (Romans 5:1).

This is the love we celebrate during the Advent season. If we stop to marvel and worship at this great love we have undeservedly received, the obvious next step is to share it with others. It’s a wonderful thing to see this idea heightened during the Christmas season, but just as the love of God didn’t stop at the manger, our love for others doesn’t end when the Christmas decorations come down.

We share this love in every season of life. We share this love when it’s challenging. We love because God first loved us (1 John 4:19). He didn’t send us a Savior because we were worthy. He sent his Son because he loves us.

As we start this week seeing how Advent love meets us in every day moments, I want to leave you with parts of a prayer from The Valley of Vision. If you have not read through this collection of Puritan prayers, do yourself a favor and order it IMMEDIATELY. Though the language is older, it is so rich. Let these words bring you to worship the God who loves us with a love none can comprehend:

Love brought thee from heaven to earth,

from earth to the cross,

from the cross to the grave.

Love caused thee to be weary, hungry, tempted,

scorned, scourged, buffeted, spat upon, crucified, and pierced.

Love led thee to bow thy head in death.

Let me see thy love everywhere, not only in the cross,

but in the fellowship of believers and in the world around me.

When I feel the warmth of the sun may I praise thee

who art the Sun of righteousness with healing power.

When I feel the tender rain

may I think of the gospel showers that water my soul.

When I walk by the river side

may I praise thee for that stream that makes the eternal city glad,

and washes white my robes that I may have the right to the tree of life.

Thy infinite love is a mystery of mysteries,

and my eternal rest lies in the eternal enjoyment of it.