The Multifaceted Love Of God

Forgive my grammatical errors, I`m typing on a spanish computer so spellcheck is red underlining every word.

First, a little about what Ive been doing here. Last week I worked in the garden. We cleared out all the dead plants and then Ellario, the awesome maintenance guy here, tilled the soil with a tractor. Then we raked all the dead grass out of the soil, that took a week. This week Im on the painting team, were (I cant put in apostrophes on this keyboard) painting a house that will be for missionaries when it is finished. Each day we spend an hour with the kids here, from 4 to 5. Playing games, coloring, doing puzzles, swimming in the lake, etcetera. Saturday is our rest day and this Saturday we went to a natural well spring to swim and relax, it was super awesome. On Sundays we go to church, and next Sunday Im going to be doing a bible study for teenage guys at the church.

The rest of this post is an extended metaphor about Gods love.

What is God? God is love. Bu what kind of love? Does he love like a parent, a lover, a friend, or all of the above? Read 1 John 4:7 to 21, it talks about Gods love. Now, take my metaphorical hand and walk with me through the garden of Gods love.

First lets us walk through the gate. It is an archway made of stone, with the actual gate being made of beautiful wrought iron. Old and sturdy. A gate that was built at the beginning of time. This is the original love, that he first loved us. and this is the entrance to the whole garden. The garden lies only through this gate. We cannot plant any trees on the outside. Out here there is a just a barren desert where nothing can survive for long, filled only with mirages. The gate is open before you, the only thing left to do is walk through.

We step through. Feel the gentle light of the ever eminating sun. Breathe in the heady scent of the flowers. Take off your shoes and dig your toes into the soft grass. Feel the rush. Let your tears of joy water the grass. And remember this moment. Keep it in a jar in your pocket like a firefly, and when you forget what this frist rush felt like, take it out and let the light remind you. This is the crush, this is the infatuation. This is Revelation 2:4 and 5.

Now follow me down the yellow brick road into the forest. It is an ancient wood. Millions of trees grow here. Some are mighty cedars, others are small and delicate bonsais, but they all grow together. The branches of each tree intertwine with the others, the trunks forming around each other and tieing the forest together. This is Acts 2:42 to 47. This is the fellowship of believers. Each tree growing with its neighbor, all rooted in the fertile soil of the garden, watered by heaven above.

Now let us meander down to the lake. It extends out as far as the eye can see. On the shore lie countless golden crowns and the belongings of all who have gone before. Now it is your turn to empty your pockets, you will not need it where we are going. Wlk in, jump in, crawl in, it does not matter. The magnitude and gravity of the fluid expanse will draw you into its gaping maw. You are pulled under. You are going to drown. Breathe in the water and let the end come. This is the beginning of your new life. You have been turned into an aquatic creature, a new creation, subsisting on the love of God. This is Romans 8: 38 to 39.

Now sink. Sink. Sink. Fall all the way down into the watery depths, and behold, Atlantis. The city of promise, the jewel in the grown, the purest cut. What does it look like? It depends on your eyes. For me it looks like the beauty of nature. It sounds like sweet music. It feels like never having to be alone again. This is John 3:16. This is the ultimate love of the God who wants to save you. What does love look like to you? Real love, not lust, not like like, not good vibes. Love. That is what Atlantis looks like. That is what the personal love of God for you looks like. Because, you see, God is personal Jesus died for you, and God loves you in particular. So accept his very personal and intimate love.

God has sent me to an orphanage on a volcanic island to live with and love the people here for two months. It is full of relationships, full of beautiful nature, full of adventure, full of God`s personalized love for me. So, know that God love you. And know that he knows what that means to you. Know that he will fulfill you, whatever that needs to look like for you. The bible says that God has already paid the ultimate price for us, so he will continue to pay any amount he needs to. Do not be afraid to let go of your imitation love. God has the real thing ready for you, and it is tailor made to fit you exactly. So drop whatever it is you are holding onto so tightly, and accept the gift of his amazing love. Get ready to drown in it, and experience what love really is.