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Single Minded
by Michelle Brinson
1 John 4:8-10 NIV
How would you define or describe love? Some might describe love as an intense feeling or passion. ("I love my wife.") It could also be used to describe something that gives you pleasure. ("I loved that movie.") Love has so many meanings in the English language. It can be very confusing and hard to define.
The Bible tells us that "God is love." (1 John 4:8) It also tells us in the passage above that love is not that we loved God, but it's that He loved us so much that He sent his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.
Think about that for a minute. Okay, more than a minute.
Can our finite minds comprehend just how much God loves us?
John 3:16 NIV
and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."
John 17:3 NASB
I've been in love before… or at least I thought it was love. It wasn't constant. It was conditional. It didn't last. It didn't look too much like the kind of love the Bible describes. I can hardly imagine the kind of love that would make such a sacrifice. Or the kind of love that is eternal. It's more than I can comprehend.
This kind of love is constant. It's unconditional. I know it's hard to understand – because in our "flesh" – the love we usually see or experience is conditional. We're so used to doing something in order to receive love and being rejected if we don't. It's no wonder this kind of love the Bible describes is so hard for us to believe, much less understand.
I want to know more about this love. Don't you?
Ephesians 1:4-6 NASB
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Psalm 139:13-14 NIV
The Bible tells us He loved us before we were even born. He created us and He loves His creation – regardless of the mistakes we make.
in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8 NASB
He loved us even as sinners. He didn't die for us because we were good, perfect or even saved for that matter. We were still sinners and yet He chose to die for us. Nothing we did caused Him to do that. It wasn't about being good or doing good deeds. This kind of love defies explanation. He simply did it because He loved us.
He loves you now – just as much as He ever did.
Nothing you have ever done or will ever do – can change His love for you.
God loves you simply because He has chosen to do so.
He loves you when you don't feel lovely. He loves you when you feel unlovable.
He loves you when no one else loves you. Others may abandon you, divorce you, and ignore you, but God will love you. Always. No matter what.
It is a love like no other.
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Michelle sees her marriage as a ministry and desires for it and herself to be used by God. She and her husband and son are active members of their church. She is also passionate about spreading the good news locally as well as internationally via mission trips to East Africa and wherever else the Lord leads.
Michelle is a talented writer and speaker who prays God will use her in sharing His hope and truths to those who are hurting and in need of love.
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