Vol. 3, No. 28 – July 15, 2018
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
I have always enjoyed reading signs as we travel; some are really funny: Free, free, a trip to Mars for 500 Burma Shave jars.
I have made Donna read signs and endure my comments; it is good our marriage is now 56 years along. She would probably have put me in my place 55-1/2 years ago (in a padded room).
Have you ever gotten a kick on the signs painted on barns? Originally, barns got painted because advertisers wanted to put a sign on the barn, and offered to paint the whole thing for free.
One time a fellow saw a sign on a weather vane, on a barn. Curious, he asked about it. The sign was: “God is Love!” Asking about it was a result out his curiosity. Why was the sign on the weather vane? The farmer, a German fellow, said: “Just to remind us that, whichever way the wind blows, God is Love. It is not about my love for God, but His love for me. It is just basic!”
Poured out, flooding, and shed abroad is how some of the translations handle this idea. It really does mean to be poured out; profusive, in abundance, overflowing, or in torrents. God’s love cascades toward people of the earth like the Chutes de Klone on the Mekong River in Laos; the volume of water passes over the seventy-foot waterfall at 410,000 cubic feet per second. Wow! Now that is a turbulent flow! God’s love, however, floods our hearts more quickly and in greater quantity than pictured by this great water fall.
When did this all take place: verses 6-10 tell us that while we, you and I, were without strength, while we were ungodly, while we were sinners. Yes, while we were indeed an enemy of Almighty God. The Lord did not wait for me to clean up my act, join a local church, start giving money, nor did He wait ’til I was a “good dude” and start loving Him.
In spite of my spiritual and moral bankruptcy, in a repulsive state of impotence, God provided His Son, Jesus Christ, to meet my greatest need. He poured out His Devine love on me (and also on you).
This is not a “dew” experience; it is a deluge!
His love has no limit, His grace has no measure, His power has no boundary known unto men; for out of His infinite riches in Jesus, He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again. –Annie Johnson Flint
Verse five has the first mention of love, and of the Holy Spirit, in Romans. Thus, a pivotal theme in Paul’s argument for this great love of God is seen to be our guarantee of availability of His eternal salvation. There is more, but this is essential.
It is ever sweet to rest on a love which is dated, not in time, but in eternity; because one can experience that God’s love did not originate in an unforeseen flash of excellence in us, and it will not be turned away by any unexpected outbreak of depravity; it did not begin because of what we were, and it will continue in spite of what we are. –F.B. Meyer
No matter which way the wind blows:
Jesus loves me this I know,
For the Bible tells me so,
Little ones to Him belong,
They are weak but he is strong.
Yes, Jesus love me!
What strikes your curiosity? Is it a sign, or something you read in the Scriptures.
Free, free, an eternity in heaven, not by buying Burma shave, but bey kneeling at the Cross and accepting the finished work of Jesus.
