DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- PERFECT LOVE

DADS' RAMBLINGS – PERFECT LOVE

"Love has been perfected among us in this:  that we may have boldness in the day of judgment because as He is, so are we in this.  There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.  But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.  We love Him because He first loved us."  (I John 4:17-19)

I remember watching a father and his daughter one time at a swimming pool.  The father was in the water encouraging his young daughter to jump into the pool, promising that he would catch her.  I could tell she was reluctant to jump, because she stood there for some time.  Finally, her trust in her father overcame her fear and she jumped into his arms.

Do you think the father would not be there for her?  Do you think that he would promise to catch her, only to let her sink into the water and drown?  Of course not.

Yet there are many Christians who do not have the assurance that when they take the leap of death that Jesus would catch them.  There is a natural fear of death, but we have the assurance that Jesus will be there and will not let us down. 

True love overcomes fear.  Perfect love says, "I trust you."

We can have that kind of love.  We do not have to fear judgment after death because the One who loved us before we loved Him is in the water and will keep us safe.  After all, it was His love that brought HIm down to this earth to save us in the first place.  He will not go back on that love.  "What can separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, a sword? ,,,, I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord"  (Romans 8:35, 38-39).

It is the assurance of the love that God has for me that gives me confidence to trust Him and that confidence removes fear.  Imperfect love brings fear.  Perfect love casts out fear.  We can trust Jesus.

Love,  Dad