Father, there is no one like you. When I consider your pure goodness and your pure love from which it flows, I am astonished. For I live in a world where goodness and love, even imperfectly expressed, are rare. When you created all that is, all that was, and all that is to come, you did so out of your Love. Because these things and people were created out of your Love, they were supremely and completely good, just as you are good. There is no evil intent in your heart – only loving intent. Everything you are and everything you make flows from this Love. Even when man rebelled against you after being tempted by the evil one, you rushed to find the man and the woman and begin the process of redemption and restoration. This came out of your great love for them. You were not content to leave them as they were, even though they definitely deserved it, as do we all. No, your great love for them compelled you to act, to set in motion the redemption that you knew they needed. First, you sacrificed some of the animals you had created so that they could have the skins of animals as clothing to cover their nakedness, of which they were ashamed. Then, you patiently waited while the evil that they had brought upon themselves grew to a point where man could see that there was no hope apart from you. Over and over throughout the generations, you showed man that he needed you. A few, like
Abraham, believed you, and you counted their faith in you as righteousness. For your loving plan was to sacrifice your only begotten son, placing their sins on him, causing your righteous wrath to fall on him instead of them. And you eventually brought it to pass, and your son gave up his life for their sakes and our sakes, so that we might be redeemed and restored to a right relationship with you. There was no greater expression of your love than that. For you gave up everything that was precious to you, your only begotten son, born of a woman, even when before we knew you. He was completely obedient to your will, which brought you great pleasure. Yet you gave him up in order that we might be reconciled to you. This is incomprehensible to the human mind. It can only be understood by the hearts of those to whom you give the faith to believe in you. It can only be understood by those you have chosen as your own. Because of the faith of Jesus, who entrusted himself to you completely, we are able to believe and be reconciled to you. Although I know that your goodness and Love are part of the nature of who you are, I am compelled to say thank you! Thank you for loving the world so that you gave your only begotten son so that all who believe in him might have a restored relationship with you and eternal life. Thank you for loving me and showing me your goodness! I am astonished even now by your great love for me! May my life be a testament to your great love, so that many others may also know you and your great love for them. Fill me with your Holy Spirit today so that when others are with me, they see your love for them. May they see Jesus in me. Make me a blessing to all whom my life touches today. This is my prayer. Amen.
#puregoodness #purelove #theloveofGod
