I remember a time in my life when serving God hardly seemed to be anything but of service to Him. Those difficult span of years continue to remain even until now. The disappointing outcomes I faced to what has been of no end. Yet I was open. Open not of the world but to what the world brought to me out of the approving hand of God. As though God blessed each serving only to take it upon myself as my daily bread to live another day for Him. I accepted. Not just because, but out of love for my heavenly Father.

My perspective was that Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross for the sins of the world, then what offense could I endure that be worse than His? There was no answer. Could I ever be justified? I heard nothing. Could I ever lament? There was no reply. It was as though no boundaries could exist for me to do the will of the Father’s hand to know what could be on the other side. How would I know? I could not. What if there was something there I had been waiting for, longing for, hoping for? I could not know. To say you can come only this far and not see it through is to limit the fullness of God’s intention.  It would be unrealized, compromised, incomplete, unfinished, and a self-induced abortion of God’s will. Why would I try.

So I walked with Him carefully treading each step I made. My outstretched hand for His, only to know him more deeply, intimately, and lovingly than I ever thought could be. To feel of His pain, with mine de minimis, as He hung on the cross. To feel the constant loss and aloneness on the journey, when the darkness came over as He cried out as though He was forsaken.

Despite the disappointing outcomes, losses, and misunderstandings, I sojourned in solitary servitude. Not for myself, but for my love for God. Motivated by love for Him. Without anything in return. Therefore, love is constantly, continually, infinitely with no end. Love in motion.

The Apostle John wrote….

“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4: 10)

In the preceding verses John explains that to know love is to know God, as God is love. As such the practice of love is a sure sign of fellowship with God. God took the initiative in revealing His love for all of humankind by sending His Son Jesus Christ to the world. The nature of love was made full in the manifestation of Christ incarnate and thus was made known, visible, and clear for all the world to see.

Our sin nature makes us prone to not love and surely to not naturally love God. He loved us and took the initiative in revealing His love for humanity by sending His Son to us. By doing so was a demonstration of love by the Father. It was a missionary act of love. God’s love in motion.

Love is not an easily demonstrated by humankind, nor is it easy to accept. However, love is a hallmark of a Christ follower. As such, when love is shown to others it is not recognized as what the world has come to accept as normal. Love is not normal, it is supernatural.

When I say “I love you” only to hear no reply, love in motion.

To show my love for you by kindness and tenderness, but rejected instead, love in motion.

To feed a man in hunger only to be torn down later, love in motion.

To meet a pressing need and be dismissed afterward, love in motion

Forgiving an offense and be offended again, love in motion.

Accepting a friend’s betrayal without them knowing it, love in motion.

To give my love to another and it be taken for granted, love in motion.

Believing explanations that were never meant as true, love in motion

Giving second chances, love in motion.

God the Father released the ocean gates so that His love would be poured out onto all of humankind, past, present, and future through Jesus Christ. By His will, Christ became the proprietor and propitiation for the sin of all. This is love. Love in motion.

Copyright @ The Word in Motion. 2022

Photocredit: repost from the SETI Institute entitled “Heart of Fire”. Photo by Laszlo Kestay/USGS, from 1996 of the West Kamokuna skylight in Hawaii.