When God first created the world, at the beginning of all time, everything was spectacularly perfect. In the opening chapters of Genesis, in the Bible, we see that God delighted in having a close relationship with the very first man and woman whom he created. God planted a beautiful garden especially for the first man and woman. And God would regularly come down from Heaven and walk in the garden in the cool of the day to chat and spend time together with the first man and woman.
But … the first man and woman rebelled and disobeyed God. Because of this, the close relationship between humanity and God was broken! Sin now separated and severed the relationship. God is perfect and holy – without any fault or sin at all! The sin of humanity now separated all of us from God … just as Destruction Island Light is far away across the distance!
Humanity is on Destruction Island … far away from God now! There’s no way we can cross the distance to get to God. There’s no way we can close the gap to be in close relationship with God. We are doomed, on Destruction Island!
God is love! The very essence and character of God is love!
God loved humanity so much that he would not leave us all doomed on Destruction Island. God loved humanity so much that he made a way to cross the distance to come to us! Jesus left Heaven and came to Earth for us! Jesus crossed the distance in order to restore the relationship between God and humanity! That’s amazing!
Jesus didn’t have to do this! But he did! Because he loves us! Jesus took the punishment that we deserve, so we could receive forgiveness from our sin.
Jesus took the punishment that we deserve, so we can have a restored relationship with the God of the universe! This is amazing!
If we believe in Jesus and accept his gift of salvation for our sins, then God pours out his very own love into our heart! God’s love flows down from Heaven into our life! This is totally mind-blowing! That God would pour his very own love down into our life!
The result of God pouring his very own love down into our life is that – we too will love!
We will love just like God loves!
Our life will be primarily characterized by love!
Our relationships with others in life whom we interact with will be impacted and influenced by God’s very own love flowing down into our life and flowing through our life to them.
In our marriage, our love for our spouse will naturally flow out of God’s own love which he is actively pouring down in our life.
Love starts with God!
“God is love.” – 1 John 7:8
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son [Jesus Christ], that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.” – 1 John 3:16
“The Father sent his Son [Jesus Christ] to be the Savior of the world.” – 1 John 4:14
“God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son [Jesus Christ].” – 1 John 5:11
“This is love: … that God loved us and sent his Son [Jesus Christ] as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” – 1 John 4:10
“Since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” – 1 John 4:11
“Let us love one another, for love comes from God.” – 1 John 4:7
