The Lavish Love of our God--February 2019
We had a busy and difficult couple of months. We thank our great and gracious God that we had health and strength--though not quite full strength--to enjoy visits of friends and loved ones from the states. What made the situation more difficult was that we were both struggling with health issues at the same time, but we are "pretty" much on the mend now--and again we thank and praise our gracious God for renewed health and strength.
What better spiritual truth to convey this month than the love our God has lavished on us!
I John 3:1 "See what great love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called the children of God! And that is what we are!" When asked in his later years to share the most meaningful truth of his life, the great theologian Karl Barth replied, "Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so."
We normally think of these words to convey the truth of God's love for children--a popular children's song taught early on in Sunday school, but whether you are an aging theologian or a child just beginning life's journey, the knowledge of God's love is the soul's anchor. Many are searching for love, acceptance and identity in all the wrong places--especially our young people. Recently our church had a prayer retreat to lift up teens specifically and the unique challenges they face today. God's love is never changing. It is infinite. It is eternal. It is sure. It will never, ever disappoint. God' love is the source of our identity. Our self-worth comes from knowing we are deeply loved children of God. Our self-confidence comes from God too--knowing we are lavishly loved and created for a purpose.
Because of this great lavish love of God, we have the assurance that we are blessed, chosen, adopted, accepted, redeemed and forgiven. (Ephesians 1--our Believing God Bible study). Ephesians says, "According to the pleasure of His will--it pleased God to make you His own. God loves you and likes you. He finds joy in you. How great is that?!
Our Bible study group that meets at our home
One of the ladies in our Bible study made a lovely cake for us at our last study
In Ephesians 3:18, Paul says, "I pray that you, Ephesians, together with all the saints may know how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ." Paul says God's love reaches every corner of our experience. It is wide--it covers the breadth or our own experience, and it reaches out to the whole world. God's love is long--it continues the length of our lives. It is high--it rises to the heights of our celebration. His love is deep--it reaches to the depths of our discouragement, despair, and even death. We will never be lost to God's love!
Good time right now for roses
Flowers on our morning walk
And of course, how could we talk about God's love and not mention Romans 8:38-39?
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any power, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all of creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
I hope right now you are feeling much loved by your loving, Heavenly father and are feeling secure and blessed in that love.
The Pound clan at our Gathering church
"God is love... Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us." (I John 4:11-12) This is always a challenge to me. God's love is the source of all human love, and it spreads through us if we are living in and following Him.
Once again we covet your prayers on our behalf. Please pray for the following:
- Health and strength to keep to the task God has called us to here in Chiang Mai
- The Lord will continue to meet the needs of our Gathering Church
- Christians in many places being persecuted for their faith
- A young man will take the final step and surrender his life to Christ (very close)
- For Matthew and Audrey as they continue to labor at Faithful Heart Foundation--they will be taking on added responsibility--please pray for them and for that ministry--for God to continue to provide for the needs.
- For many in our church body who labor for the Lord in various ministries in SE Asia
- That we will "Shine like stars in the universe as we hold out the Word of truth." (Phil. 2:14-15)
