There Will Always Be the Love of God — Week 3
By Ruth McCane, Former Executive Director, International Women’s Ministries

Recently three familiar songs kept coming to mind:

“His love has no limit, His grace-no measure.  His pow'r has no boundary known unto men.  For out of His infinite riches in Jesus, He giveth, giveth, and giveth again" (Annie Johnson Flint).

“The love of God is greater far, than tongue or pen can ever tell.  It goes beyond the highest star and reaches to the lowest hell” (F.M.Lehman).

“His love is eternal.  His glory is supernal.  When all this earth shall pass away there will always be the love of God” (Vep Ellis).

The Bible tells us that God is no respecter of persons.  However, if you’re anything like me, you learn that His love is truly experienced when we read, study and obey His Word.  Some may boast of their knowledge of Christ and neglect His commands, but our sincere love for God is shown by keeping His commandments.  John the Beloved tells us such who show no regard of God’s commands are liars and the truth is not in them.  Anyone professing to abide in Christ ought to walk as they have Him for an example (1 John 2:3-6).

HAVING FAITH IN GOD’S LOVE IS NOT TRANSMITTED BY SUCCESSION.  ELI HAD TWO SONS HE COULD APPOINT AS PRIESTS, BUT HE COULD NOT MAKE THEM PROPHETS.

They were born to a family peculiarly honored by God and were surrounded with favorable influences to make them worthy to be priests of the Most High God and true sons of Abraham.  Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli knew about God but did not know Him personally.  Instead of being grateful, they displayed their lustful appetites and pride like jewelry.  This did not meet God’s standard of righteousness.

God knew it would not be safe to trust parents with the education of mortal souls, unless they had powerful influence to be faithful to that trust.  God implanted in the heart of parents a strong affection for their children, that they might be motivated to educate them as they should in the ways of the Lord.  Parents who neglect to train their children do violence to this powerful operative principle.

Eli’s failure as a father was that he neglected his parental duty and authority to restrain his sons and prevent them from defiling the Lord’s house.  Honoring his sons above God made them unfit for heaven.  When Samuel told Eli everything the Lord had said, without excuse, he took responsibility for his own actions.

He could draw near to God for the people but the sins of his sons were so great he had no choice but to yield to his loving God’s judgment for them.  Not even the prayer of a Noah, Daniel or a Job could prevent the judgment of God.  He wisely yielded himself and his sons into God’s hands and said, “…It is the Lord; (holy, just, kind and merciful) let Him do what seems good to Him” (1 Samuel 2, 3, 4).

WE CAN NEVER ACCUSE GOD OF BEING UNFAIR IN HIS DEALINGS WITH HUMANS (Ezekiel 18:25-30, NKJV).  God loves, holds and comforts us.  He is firm to maintain His holiness and equally intent on fulfilling His loving promises (Genesis 12:3; 15:18; 22:17; 2 Peter 3:9).  He never enjoys condemning anyone but holds each one of us responsible for our own actions.  When we fall short of His glory, frustrate His grace whether in idle words, thoughts and deeds, God is just and righteous in dispensing His correction and judgments.  This does not diminish God’s everlasting love!  IF WE CHOOSE TO REPENT, our confessed sins are covered by Jesus’ death on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21; Matthew11:20-30).  God pardons iniquity, delights in mercy, has compassion and hurls all our iniquities into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:18, 19; 6:8; Matthew5:48; Ephesians 1:7).  Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:31-39).

"Some in adversity kick against God's will, others despond; neither is to be done by the Christian, who is peculiarly the child of God.  To Him such adverse things occur only by the decree of God, and that designed in kindness, namely, to remove the defilements adhering to the believer, and to exercise His patience" [GROTIUS].

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