God’s Love Manifested

THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT accounts of the superlative care and magnificence of God are found on virtually every page of the Scriptures. He has existed from eternity past, is the source of life on every plane, and has forever been and will continue to be the great Immortal One.—Ps. 90:1-4; I Tim. 1:17

“He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”—Isa. 40:29-31

Any attempt to demean the Heavenly Father’s care for his children would of necessity proceed from an evil source outside of the Bible. This is why consecrated believers are admonished to “try the spirits whether they are of God,” and accept as truth only those matters that square with holiness and the divine promises centered in his eternal plan of salvation.—I John 4:1-6

“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is [begotten] of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” (vss. 7,8) Whatever we believe, whoever we are, no statement could be more profound as to the exalted status of the Creator in comparison to all of his subjects residing on any plane of existence.

Our Key Verse emphasizes the manifestation of God’s love which was evidenced in the sending of Jesus, his only begotten Son. (John 3:16) Jesus opened the way by which God, as the Creator, could be just while also justifying sinners who would accept Jesus Christ as their ransom price for the sin which Adam committed through disobedience.—Rom. 3:24-26

Our Heavenly Father makes every provision to deliver us from anything which might harm us as New Creatures. For example, he provides the fellowship and comfort of his people—our brethren in Christ. In his love, he permits only such experiences as will best serve to accomplish his divine purposes. He can even turn unfavorable circumstances into growth for his children, if we trust him, and allow him to work in us “to will and to do of his good pleasure.”—Phil. 2:13

God’s love for his people and his care over them can be seen in a more wonderful light when we take into consideration the exercise of his foreknowledge. He is always able to know in advance the outcome of the mighty works which he sets out to accomplish. This does not in any way destroy our free will. Our finite minds could not determine what another would do tomorrow unless we controlled his actions. Many of the Lord’s people reflect upon the wonderful way in which God was overruling their daily lives, even before they knew him.

Such a realization should cause us to respond with absolute confidence in our God. “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”—I John 4:18, New International Version