Who can separate us from the love of God?
Way back in Seattle in 1976-78 someone sent us the Seventh-Day Adventist magazine. We did not, to our knowledge, know any Seventh-Day Adventists, but we received this monthly magazine for maybe three years, and often found the articles thoughtful and worthwhile.
Once, there was a quotation which struck me so forcibly that it remains a touchstone. Ellen White, who had a profound vision a few months after the death of Joseph Smith, and who became the gathering point of this church, understood how personal our personal God is. She said, "The relationship between God and each soul should be as distinct and as full as if that soul were the only one to share his watchcare, the only one for whom he gave His beloved Son."
Let that sink in.(And I love the word 'watchcare.') If all of our Father's children could be saved, could make it back to him on their own, except one, he would have sent his Son, and our Savior would still have offered up all that he did--for the sake of one only. Any one. If it was you, if it was me, if it was that person who sometimes makes you nuts, he would have gone through all that he suffered for the sake of saving that one. That is the depth of his love, and the depth of his knowledge of us, of what we can become, of what glory and joy he wishes for us. We are without price, of infinite worth truly, being worth that infinite cost.
It should make us look at each other differently too. Our Heavenly Father and our Savior love that person there so much that you cannot imagine it. They love you so much that you can barely comprehend. All they ask is that you treat those fellow-beloved ones with love. It puts a new light on Paul's admonition to the Roman saints to have charity, as they quarreled about the Law of Moses: destroy not him... for whom Christ died. (Romans 14:15)
If we could see who we truly are, as sons and daughters of God, we would be in awe. None of us are yet what we hope to be, but all of us have hope in our Father's love and care. He will never forsake us or forget us, though we may close him out. He will always be ready to draw us in to the arms of his love.
Once, there was a quotation which struck me so forcibly that it remains a touchstone. Ellen White, who had a profound vision a few months after the death of Joseph Smith, and who became the gathering point of this church, understood how personal our personal God is. She said, "The relationship between God and each soul should be as distinct and as full as if that soul were the only one to share his watchcare, the only one for whom he gave His beloved Son."
Let that sink in.(And I love the word 'watchcare.') If all of our Father's children could be saved, could make it back to him on their own, except one, he would have sent his Son, and our Savior would still have offered up all that he did--for the sake of one only. Any one. If it was you, if it was me, if it was that person who sometimes makes you nuts, he would have gone through all that he suffered for the sake of saving that one. That is the depth of his love, and the depth of his knowledge of us, of what we can become, of what glory and joy he wishes for us. We are without price, of infinite worth truly, being worth that infinite cost.
It should make us look at each other differently too. Our Heavenly Father and our Savior love that person there so much that you cannot imagine it. They love you so much that you can barely comprehend. All they ask is that you treat those fellow-beloved ones with love. It puts a new light on Paul's admonition to the Roman saints to have charity, as they quarreled about the Law of Moses: destroy not him... for whom Christ died. (Romans 14:15)
If we could see who we truly are, as sons and daughters of God, we would be in awe. None of us are yet what we hope to be, but all of us have hope in our Father's love and care. He will never forsake us or forget us, though we may close him out. He will always be ready to draw us in to the arms of his love.
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