Love: God’s Nature

In the last article, we discussed the love of God for you and ended with the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15. It is instructive to note that even though Bible Commentators captioned the story as the parable of the Prodigal son, the parable is more about the father than the son. In actual fact the entire chapter has a central theme, ‘the redeeming love of God’. From the lost sheep that was searched for and found by the shepherd to the lost coin that required a complete sweeping of the room before it could be found to the prodigal son and finally the elder brother who refused to enter the house and the father had to go outside to urge him to come in, we find the same heart of love expressed towards sometimes undeserving recipients.  Jesus used the four stories to reiterate the same point, that God is Love and he is committed to doing good.

David knew this. When he made a mistake by counting Israel and he was to pick a punishment for his error, hear him "This is a desperate situation!" David replied to Gad. "But let us fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is great. Do not let me fall into human hands." 2 Sam 24:14. It was also the same certainty of God’s nature of perpetual goodness that made Jonah to head for Tarshish instead of going to warn them at Nineveh as he was instructed to. This is what scripture says of him after God forgave the people of Nineveh “he complained to the LORD about it: "Didn't I say before I left home that you would do this, LORD? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you were a gracious and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. I knew how easily you could cancel your plans for destroying these people.” Jonah 4:2 (NLT). Jonah was willing to bet on God’s goodness and love.

Perhaps the most important evidence of God’s nature of goodness is God’s own description of himself.  In Exodus34, we see God introducing himself and His character to Moses. ‘Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation."’ Exo 34:5-7. God’s overwhelming attribute is love.

Some might ask, ‘if God is this good, then why destroy the world with flood or Sodom with fire?’ The answer is the same as to why a doctor removes a cancerous part from a patient in order to save the patient. God sent the flood in order to save humankind. ‘The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.’ Gen 6:6(NIV). Having a heart filled with pain are definitely the emotions of a love being. And on his way to destroy Sodom, he revealed his plan to an intercessor who kept interceding until it was not logically possible any longer, yet God still spared the few righteous persons found in the city.

Another question might be, ‘why doesn’t God step in before bad things happen?’ A major attribute of a love being is the respect of the choices of others. No matter how much a man loves a lady, as long as the lady refuses to accept or reciprocate the love, the man can do little about his love. The same way God has given man the ability to make a choice and to live by the consequences of the choice. God can only do as much as we allow him to do in our lives. Just as Moses said in wilderness, ‘I call heaven and earth to witness this day against you that I have set before you life and death, the blessings and the curses; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live’ Deut 30:19, it is still our responsibility today to choose life.

In conclusion, God is love and it is His nature to do good all the time. For every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. (James 1:17). We serve a good God and you have a right to expect good from Him all the time because His only disposition towards His children is to do us good.

Hallelujah!!!

If you have not made Jesus Christ your Lord and saviour, you cannot benefit fully from His love. We urge you, don’t wait another moment. Make up your mind and say this prayer:

“Dear God, I ask you to forgive me all my sins and make me anew. I believe that Jesus died for me and you raised him up on the third day, I confess that He is Lord now and forever. I accept your son, Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour.”

Congratulations! Now that you are born again, look for a bible believing church to attend that you might know what he has provided for you.