It’s quite easy at college and life more generally to draw comparisons between others and yourself. Of course this usually means that I feel bad because I fall short in a way that others succeed and it’s sometimes in the most elementary things.
I’ve drawn much comfort from some of Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians where there are a number of passages that render such comparisons utterly meaningless. Consider where Paul doesn’t care if he’s judged by others (in chapter 4), or where he speaks of the necessity of every varied part of the body of Christ (in chapter 12).
Last night I listened to a sermon by Piper as he reflected on his own inadequacies when he compared himself to Jonathan Edwards. (Oh, how many people I know would long to be like Piper!) He quoted these comforting words of Paul in 1 Cor 15:10 that have been somewhat life-giving for me:
“by God’s grace I am what I am”
I’ve been reflecting a bit on God’s love for a sermon this weekend. My almost complete lack of nous when it comes to romance leaves me feeling a little behind the eight ball but thankfully love is broadly relevant in life in general.
In my experience love is just about everything that is important to me. My security and significance (to borrow from Larry Crabb) come almost exclusively from my friends, family and colleagues; I love the love of my friends, the warm embrace of my family and the approval and endorsement of my colleagues.
Recognising this, then, it’s clear how God’s love can have such an impact on a person. If Almighty God whose whispers formed mountain ranges desires YOU, then this would blow the categories of security and significance - you’d be unstoppable.
Of course, this sounds good but how can we have any confidence that God does love us? The diversity of speculation that is rendered of God’s volition in various instances would suggest that we have a low degree of certainty. But thankfully God has rendered speculation itself unnecessary as he’s shown us what he’s like in his son Jesus:
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom 5:6-8, NIV)
God’s love precedes our loveliness: we were powerless, ungodly, unrighteous, sinners and God’s enemies. It’s at this point that God demonstrates his love for us. In fact, ‘demonstrate’ is probably too weak a word- he ‘proves’ it through the death of Jesus. Here is the love of God: the emotion-ridden self-sacrificial, gracious self-giving of God for his enemies.
Moreover it’s not merely something that God does but rather something that God is. It’s not a job or a mood or an obligation that he takes up and sets down. No, God is love. He always loves in his own being (Father, Son and Spirit) and his love for us is the overflow of this just as with all of his works.
As Paul indicates in Eph. 3 the implications of this are fathomless. Assurance of God’s love, proven in the cross of Christ is hugely significant in my circumstances each day. What better words to express this that Paul’s in Romans?
… we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. (Romans 5:3-5 NIV)
 Light is sweet,
and it is pleasing for the eyes to see the sun. Â