Amazing Love

The Lord Said to me, "Go again, love a woman who is loved by a lover and is committing adultery,, just like the love of the Lord for the children of Israel."
Hosea 3:1a

The Holy Spirit has been speaking to me lately about God's love and how we, as the body of Christ, should love as He loves us.

There's been some discussion in my small group about "those Muslims" and "those Hispanics" and "those Democrats." I like very much that there is such a mix of liberals and conservatives, mature and young Christians, male and female, etc. in my group. It gives us quite a wonderful range of perspectives and knowledge. I like that very much.

But, recently the talk got a little out of hand when commenting on the incorrect news report that Barack Obama attended a radical Muslim school as a child. Discussing the concern over what, at that time was being reported as fact, is one thing, but the conversation quickly turned into negative sweeping generalizations about the entire Muslim population...from there other groups were singled out, such as the Democrats and Hispanics. Even the Catholics were brought up at one point.

My spirit was troubled as I sat there with our hosts looking on in disbelief. Couldn't really believe what we were hearing. For days afterward I couldn't shake that heaviness of heart I felt. Then one night driving home from work, I heard a song by Casting Crowns called "If We Are The Body."

Some of the lyrics say:

"If we are the body
Why aren't our arms reaching
Why aren't our hands healing
Why aren't our words teaching
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going
Why isn't His love showing them there is a way
There is a way.

Jesus paid much too high a price
For us to pick and choose who should come"

None of us can truly comprehend God's love. Our limited experience of human love hinders us from understanding God's unconditional love. We can see a picture of this love in the life of Hosea.

Hosea was a righteous man,but God told him to marry a sinful woman. Hosea obeyed God and took Gomer as his wife. He cherished her and treated her with dignity and respect. Never before had Gomer experienced this kind of love. But, she began giving her affections to other men to the point that she abandoned Hosea altogether. Other men used her until she had nothing left to give. Then they sold her into slavery. After this, God gave Hosea an amazing command: "Go and buy her back." Despite the intense pain and hurt that Gomer had inflicted on him, God told Hosea to forgive her and to pay any price to bring her back into his home.

God's message is clear: After all that God has done for us, it is incomprehensible that we should reject Him. It is even harder to fathom that God could love us even after we have rejected, ignored, and disobeyed Him. Yet God's love is completely different from ours. His love follows us to the depths of our sinfulness until He has reclaimed us. His love is undaunted when we run from Him, and He continues to pursue us. What incredible love He has demonstrated to us!*

*Excerpt from "Experiencing God Day by Day", by Henry & Richard Blackaby.

Read that last paragraph again and replace all the "us" for "humankind." Because God's love extends to all. Not just Christians. But, to Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Republicans, Democrats, Liberals, Conservatives, Saints and Murderers. If we begin to limit our thinking about who God loves, then we truly do not know God. If we are the body of Christ, then we must be diligent in reflecting this incomprehensible love of God to all.

If we are the body of Christ, then we can not choose!