Friday, 23rdFebruary 2024
Andrews Ampomah
TOPIC: SEE THE FATHER'S LOVE
THEME SCRIPTURE: “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” – 1 John 3:1
PREPARATORY QUESTIONS:
- Do you know what it means to experience God’s love?
- What has the Father’s love made you?
Among the unique conversion stories in the Old Testament, one that stands out alongside Rahab's is that of King Nebuchadnezzar.
He was a powerful king who had no regard for God or His people. In his rebellion against God, at the height of his prosperity, Nebuchadnezzar erected a golden image and commanded all in the Province of Babylon to bow and worship (Daniel 3:1–4). It is believed that King Nebuchadnezzar himself penned Daniel chapter 4, and in this chapter, he adopts a style consistent with Pauline Epistles as he praises God: “King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you! It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me (Daniel 4:1).” Throughout chapter 4, we witness the transformation of a once proud and rebellious king into a sober man who could not hold back his joy and thanks for the love and mercy lavished upon him by the very God he so much despised.
Overflowing with such indescribable joy, he affirms that he truly doesn’t deserve such a love so amazing.
As descendants of our first parents (Adam and Eve), we are, by nature and by our own indulgence, sinful. Like King Nebuchadnezzar, every fibre in us despised and hated God. This, by implication, made all of us deserving of God’s justified wrath. We carried the sentence of death over our lives; we fell short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23) and deserved to perish in hell eternally (Romans 6:23). There was no hope but eternal doom until the only spotless, begotten Son of the Father appeared in time to bring us something that, in our wildest dreams, we could not even imagine. The Apostle John in our focus text breaks out in ecstatic doxology, affirming his indescribable joy: “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” The focus here is on the Father's love and its transformative impact on us.
This is a love we never earned, a love so profound that even in eternity, we cannot fully comprehend its depths. It surpasses the limits of human perception and elevates our souls to a state of ecstatic joy.
Beloved in Christ Jesus, this was Nebuchadnezzar’s joy. This is also our joy. It is by no means a small event that one should be delivered from the tyrannical rule of Satan and be planted into the kingdom of the Son God loves. Such a transformation should humble us greatly while also filling us with boundless joy. Let us continually and purposefully contemplate God's love, never forgetting to offer Him praise for the precious gift of Salvation. Beloved, behold it; you are a child of God and a joint heir with Christ Jesus. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
FURTHER READING – 1 John 3:1-2
Call to Salvation: Today is your day if you have not received salvation by turning over your life to Jesus Christ. Click here to do so
QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU MEDITATE ON THE WORD:
- What should be your sincere response to the Father’s love?
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, I am so grateful for lavishing your love over me and making me your child. Help me by the Holy Spirit to live as Your child daily in Christ Jesus. Amen.
1-Year Bible Reading Plan
Exodus 36; Psalms 94; Psalms 95; 1 Corinthians 6
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