The Bible tells us that God is love. His nature is love. Which means that contrary to the accusations that God is responsible for the starvation of children, the disasters that wipe out lives and homes, the violence that permeates society, the Bible informs us that because God IS love, everything He does, or think, is rooted in love. If the God you believe in, even the God you don't believe in, is not a personification of love, then you are believing in a false God.
That being the case, the real God can be trusted. Do not doubt His motives in calling you to be converted. Don't leave Him at the door knocking. If you turn Him away, you are breaking His heart. It pains Him that His love is rejected, more so than it pains you when your love is spurned. It hurts doesn't it if you are seeking to start a relationship with someone, or make an existing relationship better, when people, despite your absolute best intentions, rebuke, abuse, ignore, or reject you. And your pain is directly proportional to the effort you invest into establishing it. Our heavenly Father invested His only Son...submitting Jesus to a life of service, and a cruel humiliating death all to give you the opportunity, the choice, to accept Him.
Like any good father, husband, God wants only that which is best for you, only that which is for your good. He will never abuse you, hurt you, let you down, disappoint you, dishonor you, belittle you, or be unfaithful to you. Whatever your needs are, He will meet them. Whatever endangers you, He will remove. He will never take away that which is good for you, nor give you anything which will hurt.
He already knows all there is to know about you. All you've done, wherever you've been, and loves you anyway. In Him there is no condemnation, no shame, no embarrassment. Whatever debt you may feel you owe Him for whatever transgressions you may have committed, that debt is paid for. In full. There is no interest to be paid...no further deposits to be made...no more installments necessary to make up the price of your redemption. The Son of God has already paid the full price of your salvation in the name of His Father, therefore you are His. Wholly His, lock, stock, and barrel. Let Him now take charge of that which He has purchased with His own blood. Allow Him to take possession of that for which He paid the ultimate price, and begin a new life; an abundant life; a life free from condemnation, free from sin, addiction, worry, and fear.
Let today be the first day of eternity.
That being the case, the real God can be trusted. Do not doubt His motives in calling you to be converted. Don't leave Him at the door knocking. If you turn Him away, you are breaking His heart. It pains Him that His love is rejected, more so than it pains you when your love is spurned. It hurts doesn't it if you are seeking to start a relationship with someone, or make an existing relationship better, when people, despite your absolute best intentions, rebuke, abuse, ignore, or reject you. And your pain is directly proportional to the effort you invest into establishing it. Our heavenly Father invested His only Son...submitting Jesus to a life of service, and a cruel humiliating death all to give you the opportunity, the choice, to accept Him.
Like any good father, husband, God wants only that which is best for you, only that which is for your good. He will never abuse you, hurt you, let you down, disappoint you, dishonor you, belittle you, or be unfaithful to you. Whatever your needs are, He will meet them. Whatever endangers you, He will remove. He will never take away that which is good for you, nor give you anything which will hurt.
He already knows all there is to know about you. All you've done, wherever you've been, and loves you anyway. In Him there is no condemnation, no shame, no embarrassment. Whatever debt you may feel you owe Him for whatever transgressions you may have committed, that debt is paid for. In full. There is no interest to be paid...no further deposits to be made...no more installments necessary to make up the price of your redemption. The Son of God has already paid the full price of your salvation in the name of His Father, therefore you are His. Wholly His, lock, stock, and barrel. Let Him now take charge of that which He has purchased with His own blood. Allow Him to take possession of that for which He paid the ultimate price, and begin a new life; an abundant life; a life free from condemnation, free from sin, addiction, worry, and fear.
Let today be the first day of eternity.
