“Whoever has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me and the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father; and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.” (John 14:21)
Striving to earn God’s love rather than embracing it as a gift is an easy trap to fall into. Both quantitive and qualitative indicators have their place, but without the latter we become empty vessels. Agape love cannot be concealed, and exposes
everything that is counterfeit.
There is infinite value to invest in the treasure of living a redeemed life fully submitted to Him; a privilege and joy rather than a legalistic prerequisite. The greatest discovery in life is to love God with all our heart, soul and strength, and our neighbour as ourselves, for those who dare with courage to pursue relentlessly. This is demonstrated in simple and practical ways that cross all boundaries of age, culture, status, creed and gender. It is well illustrated with the following story:
“There was once a nobleman, when as a boy was required to spend the night alone in the forest as a pre-requisite to attaining manhood.
During the night, between sleep and waking, he received a vision. He saw a great fire from which appeared a cup overflowing with red wine, symbolising God’s divine grace. Out of the fire spoke a voice:
“You shall remember what it means to be a servant, even as Jesus the King of Kings was the servant of all. Through this, the hearts of your people will be healed.”
However, the boy was blinded by visions of a life of grandeur and self interest filled with power, glory and riches. At that moment, he felt for a brief moment invincible, and reached into the fire to take the cup. Immediately, the cup vanished, but his
hand became terribly wounded from the heat of the fire.
As the boy grew older, his wound grew deeper and nothing could alleviate the trauma and deep pain of his suffering. None of his physicians were able to help him and could only stand helpless by his side.
Much time passed and things hit rock bottom. The boy who was now a young man, hid away in a dark place where the agony of his suffering was his only companion. He removed himself from the laughter and merriment of his companions, the comfort and love of those who cared; the sweet sound of nature with the warmth of the sun smiling down upon his shoulders. He slowly but surely began to give up on life altogether and wished he could simply shrivel up and die.
One day a fool wandered into the castle and discovered the young man alone in a remote corner of a great chamber. Being a simple-minded fool, he did not see the son of a nobleman, but only a person alone and immersed in his pain.
He immediately walked up to him and in a caring voice enquired;
“What ails you my friend?”
The young man replied,
“I’m so thirsty. I need some water to cool my throat.”
So the fool took a water bottle strapped to his waist and handed it to him. The young man eagerly began to drink, and to his amazement discovered that his wound was healed. He looked up and turned to the fool with amazement:
“How could you find that which my brightest and bravest could not?”
The fool looked at him with compassion and replied:
“I don’t know. I only knew that you were thirsty.”
“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father [you favoured of God, appointed to eternal salvation], inherit the kingdom prepared for
you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 I was naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me [with help and ministering care]; I was in prison, and you came to Me [ignoring personal danger].’ 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38 And when did we see You as a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’
The King will answer and say to them, ‘I assure you and most solemnly say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it for Me.’” (Matthew 25: 34-40)
