GOD’S EXTRAVAGANT LOVE
Part 1

“Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love:
therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee”
(Jeremiah 31:3).

Not one of us will ever be able to fully comprehend God’s love. Eternity will not be enough to understand the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of the love of God.

Throughout the God’s Word we read adjectives describing His love. They give us more of a glimpse of His extravagant love--the love of the Father and the love of Jesus Christ, His son revealed through His sacrificial death upon the cross for our sins. He was God and yet He was willing to lay down His Godhead, lose His reputation, become a servant, and be obedient to death.

This is the same love He wants to pour into our hearts and flow through us to our families and those around us.

It’s easy to read these descriptions, but can I encourage you to look up the Scriptures? This is how these beautiful truths will get into your heart and life. You may also like to use these Scriptures with your children--during homeschooling or at your daily family Bible time around your table. Take one or perhaps two points at a time. Look up the Scriptures with your children and discuss them together. Talk about God’s extravagant love. And talk about how it can work out practically in our own lives—in our home and in society.

Abiding love (1 Corinthians 13:13; 2 Corinthians 8:7; and Philippians 1:9).

Abounding love (2 Corinthians 2:4; 12:15; 1 Thessalonians 3:12; 2 Thessalonians 1:3; and 2 Peter 1:7, 8).

Believing love (1 Corinthians 13:7 and Galatians 5:6).

Blessing love (Deuteronomy 7:13 and 23:5).

Comforting love (John 14:18 and Philippians 2:1-2).

Continuing love (John 15:9; Hebrews 13:1; and 1 Timothy 2:15).

Conquering love (Romans 8:37-39).

Correcting love (Proverbs 3;12; 13:24; Hebrews 12:5-11; and Revelation 3:19).

Covering love (Proverbs 10:12; 17:9; James 5:19, 20; and 1 Peter 4:8).

Drawing love (Song of Solomon 1 and Hosea 11:4).

Edifying love (1 Corinthians 8:1 and Ephesians 4:16).

Enduring and Everlasting love (Jeremiah 9:24; 31:3; Psalm 25:6; 89:33, 34; Song of Solomon 8:7; Matthew 28:20; Hosea 2:19, 20; John 13:1c; and 1 Corinthians 13:7, 8).

Excellent and marvelous love (Psalm 17:7; 36:7; 40:11; 42:8; 51:1; 63:3; 69:16; 92:1, 2; 103:4; 107:41-43; Isaiah 63:7; and Jeremiah 32:18).

Exemplary love (John 13:3-17; 13:34; 15:9; and 15:12-14).

Family love (Romans 12:10; Ephesians 5:25-33; Colossians 3:19; Titus 2:4; and 1 Peter 3:8).

Fearless love (2 Timothy 1:7 and 1 John 4:18).

Fervent love (1 Peter 1:22 and 4:8).

Forbearing love (1 Corinthians 13:4, 7; Ephesians 4:2; and Colossians 3:12-14).

Forgiving love (Matthew 5:44-46; Luke 23:34; and Ephesians 4:32).

Giving love (Isaiah 63:9; John 3:16; Romans 5:5, 8; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 2:4-9; 5:2, 25; 1 John 3:1, 17, 18; and 4:9-11.

More to come next week.

Love from Nancy Campbell
www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER:

“Thank you, dear Father, that Your love for me is an everlasting love. It never changes. It is love beyond comprehension. Although Your love passes all knowledge, please help me to understand and experience more of Your love. I want to be filled with Your love to pour forth Your love in my home and to those around me. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

“Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.”
~ Frederick M. Lehman (1917)