March 11, 2016 – I John 4:16

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. I John 4:16This one verse tells us all we need to know.  God loves us.  Is it any wonder that little children’s faces shine when they sing, Jesus loves me, this I know…for the Bible tells me so. It was when I became older, I realized this is not just a children’s song, but for those about to leave this life and be with Jesus as well.It is all about belonging – our life-long pursuit.  We want more than anything to belong.  We belong to God, whether we recognize this or not.  We were made for eternity, an eternity with our Lord and Savior. Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.  Ecclesiastes 3:11.  Another verse tells us there is no end to eternity.  When we trust God, when we love, when our life is a life of love – we are on the way to belonging to Him. “From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can snatch anyone out of my hand. No one can undo what I have done.”  Isaiah 43:13From a poem written three years ago are these words…I searched far and near, For a place to belong.  Bereft and lonely, I cried, So still, my heart lost its song. Then I met Jesus, Lord and King, He gave me a song to sing, Of hope, joy and love, He became my Everything. (eac)There is a song from long ago….Light of the world, shine on me, Love is the answer, Shine on us all, set us free, Love is the answer…(Rundgren)When I am afraid, and I search for a way to escape the fear and dread in the world.  I find it just in Jesus and the perfect love that only Jesus can give.Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first. I John 4:18-19