And, yet he loves us

Teresa A. LeNeave; Leneave2@comcast.net

And, yet he loves us

Christians always talk about "what God can do" and we know that's everything, but what does the Bible say he can't do?

People may misinterpret a text or email messages. They may read into a conversation something you didn't mean at all. I assure you, God will never do that. He will never twist our words and tell us we said something we didn't. How can we know that? Because, "In him we live, we move and we have our being" (Acts 17:28). He understands everything about us because we are that connected to the Creator of the entire universe. "For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things..." (Rom 11:36).

God cannot misunderstand our thoughts or motives. He knows all our deep thoughts and our secrets. He knows the intents of our heart. He knows why we do what we do and what our hidden desires are. "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Heb 4:12).

And, yet he loves us.

He doesn't read into your actions something that you never intended. And, here's a big one for me: He doesn't take second-hand information. God always knows the whole story. It gives me great comfort to know God is right there with us and he knows the where, why, and how. He knows the whole story.

And, yet he loves us.

Another thing he will never do is leave us. When God was ready to retire Moses, Joshua was the next chosen leader. Moses gave Joshua this advice: "Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you" (Deuteronomy 31:6).

In the New Testament, he gives us the same promise. "...I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Heb 13:5).In Matthew 28:20 Jesus said, "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world". So, when it looks like you're forsaken, you're not. He will go with you to the end. Thank God, He doesn't hold our sin against us, but he offers to take it from us.

And, yet he still loves us.

A third thing he won't do is leave you comfortless. When life deals us a blow that knocks us to the ground, he doesn't leave us comfortless. When our heart is broken and we think we can't recover, he provides the comfort and strength to move on. He sends his spirit to pick us up and give us strength to travel on.

John 14:18 says, "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." Jesus was telling his disciples that he was going away, returning to his heavenly father, soon. They would no longer see his physical body. They would no longer have daily physical contact, but they didn't have to be afraid. He told them, "I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever".

Jesus said he would send the "Spirit of truth". The world wouldn't understand it, or recognize that Spirit, but the believer would. He added, "...You know him: for he dwelleth with you, and shall be IN you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you."

I encourage you to see your God as one who never misunderstands you, never forsakes and never leaves you without comfort. He will come to you. That gives me great peace to know that's the kind of God we serve.