God's Love Is Absolute

"Today's Devotion" For May 12, 2005

Read: Matthew 22:34-40; Deuteronomy 6:4-9;11:13-21

GOD'S LOVE IS ABSOLUTE

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'" (Mt. 22:37)

There was a time where people believed in absolutes. Absolute truth was considered a reality. When I was growing up I was taught that there are some things that are just plain true and others that are just plain false. Yet the world of today doesn't accept that there are absolutes. Everything is relative. One lifestyle is as good as another. One way of looking at truth is good as another. Contemporary thought would have us believe that there's no such thing as "one central truth." Rather, the prevalent concept is that there are a variety of truths, each dependent on each person's individual perspective. Applying this principle to the realm of religion we find that the prevailing thought process is that all religions lead to the same place and all have a contribution they can offer to full disclosure of what constitutes "eternal truth" - that is if such truths are possible. Thus, as is the prevalent thought, no one religion has truth locked up. At the same time, contemporary thought holds that the only place truth may be found is in science. Ultimately, whether we deal with religion or science, or a plethora of other areas of living, we find ourselves faced with a great cornucopia of truths. And, while we're trying to sort them out, the world is rapidly deteriorating and people are dying all over from malnutrition, violence, wars, famine, and the like, because "the truth" of humanity's situation of life isn't clear to too many people.

Jesus Himself truly understands humanity's struggle with the ultimate "truth" of life and living. He knows and understands how difficult it is for people to recognize that there are absolutes which are determinative for how people live and the world works. The question, "Teacher, what is the greatest commandment in the Law?" goes right to the heart of the matter. Responding to this question, Jesus goes right to the most striking and essential absolute there is. The ultimate purpose and absolute of life and living is for every human being to love God above all things. All our emotional investment, all our being (who and what we are), and all our thoughts should be focused on God. He should be first and foremost in everyone's life. Subsequently, if God is in fact to be first and foremost in everyone's life, then loving others as we love ourselves follows right on its heels. God's love for us in Jesus Christ is absolute; it's certain and unwavering. His truth endures forever. His forgiveness of all our sins is sure and certain for all times and places.

Jesus came to redeem the world. Through Him the Father seeks to redeem the world and bring it back into a loving and perfect relationship with Him. God's love, grace, and mercy in Christ is absolute. Without the reality of that "absolute" no one and nothing in this sinful world will ever be changed and brought back to God's love. God must be first in our lives. It's essential that God's love in Jesus Christ be central in the lives of all people, for without His love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness no human being can ever know true hope and joy. . As we experience our Father's love through faith in Christ, we are empowered to love our neighbors as ourselves. Believing the Good News that God has redeemed us in Jesus Christ, we are led to share God's love and forgiveness to the world. It's the power of that Good News which is absolute and unchanging which will change the world. When people experience God's love and forgiveness, hating and hurting others, or ignoring their needs is no longer possible. You and I, as redeemed children of God, live in that reality and absolute certainty each and every day. Our Baptisms remind us daily that we have been made God's very own people and that eternal life in Christ is our sure and certain hope. Each day, therefore, we live in the light of the sure and certain absolute that the essence of all life is "love" - our love for God, and our love for our neighbor in the same way as we love ourselves. All because God has first loved us.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, as You have brought me back into Your loving arms through the redemption that is mine in Christ Jesus, so also let me return that love to You. Remind me each day that Your love for me in Christ Jesus is absolute and certain. Living in that love and the confidence of faith You give me, help me to show my love for You as I reach out in love to others. Let my faithful example of loving You above all things and loving my neighbor as myself lead others to experience Your love for them in Christ Jesus as well. Help me to invest all my emotions, being, and thinking into loving You, so that I might also have the privilege of loving others in Your name. In Jesus' name I humbly pray. Amen.
****************************************************

--Pastor Boeck

Copyright © 2005 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.