I'm sharing this blog, written by Jeremy Pearsons, because I believe it is a good resource when learning more about God's love. I mentioned in episode 7 of my podcast that if you don't believe God is real or that He loves you, it would be good to take some time and search it out for yourself, not just take my word for it. I personally don't like it when ministers say, "go read your bible, or, go get your hand on good teachings," but not tell you WHICh verses to read or WHO to go listen to. There is an endless sea of options and it can be hard to know where to start! So here's just one of many options for you. You can find the full article at: https://pearsonsministries.com/its-all-a-big-show/ He also as a great series called "Who Cares?" which is a sermon series for free on Soundcloud that you can listen to or download. I will post the link at the bottom of this page.
"In March of 2007, I met and fell in love with a girl named Sarah Hart. Very soon after that, when I couldn’t hold it inside a second longer, I told her that I loved her and I wanted to marry her. Because we lived two states apart the entire time we dated and all the way through our engagement, most of our hanging out was done via mobile phone. Needless to say, we talked a lot. Sometimes we talked on the phone all night long, and I remember telling her over and over and over, probably to the point of exhaustion, that I loved her; but I just couldn’t help it! And anyone who knows our story knows that it was a whirlwind six months from the time we met to the day we got married.
I love Sarah, and I love the story the Lord wrote for us; but for the sake of discussion, let me ask this question: what would’ve happened if I had only said I love you without ever doing anything to prove it? I know it is very special to hear those words in the beginning of a relationship, and, of course, it still is today. But what if I had never proposed, never given her a ring, and never made a vow at the altar with her by my side? Words become meaningless if there are never any actions to back them up. Somewhere along the way, Sarah would have started to wonder if I really meant what I was saying. A year or two of that and, well, I don’t even want to imagine how that sad story would have ended. I like the real version much better. In the real version, I did propose; and I also bought her the fattest diamond I could afford. Some people who don’t go in for that kind of “bling” might find fault with that saying, “A ring like that is all for show.” My answer to them is,
“You’re exactly right.”
I bought the biggest diamond to show her how honored and ecstatic I was to be the man who would marry her. You might be surprised to find out that God Himself is all about The Show.
Romans 12:9 says, “Let love be without hypocrisy.” Hypocrisy is saying one thing and doing another, and people love hypocritically when their I love yous don’t come with any action to back them up. Simply put, hypocrisy is all talk and no show. This is why our Father was not content to just yell loudly from heaven, “I love y’all!” His I love you came with proof. God so loved the world, and He is no hypocrite. There was no way He was going to say it without showing it.
One of the biggest promises Jesus ever made is found in John 14:21: “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And He who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” The Amplified Bible says the last part of that verse like this: “I [too] will love him and will show (reveal, manifest) Myself to him. [I will let Myself be clearly seen by him and make Myself real to him.]” Every man, woman, and child are in need of this one thing: a manifestation of Jesus. A manifestation is simply something that can be clearly seen—a revelation, a show. So what does the lost man need? He needs to see Jesus his Savior. What does the sick man need? He needs to see Jesus his Healer. Every need of every man is met in the revelation of the person of Jesus, for in Jesus is the revealing of God Himself. In John 14:9, Jesus says it like this: “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” Jesus is, if you will, The God Show. He is God on display, and He is inviting every one of us to come see. Notice in this verse the inseparable connection between “I will love him” and “I will manifest Myself to him.” This is our invitation to The Love Show.
OUR FATHER WAS NOT CONTENT TO JUST YELL LOUDLY FROM HEAVEN, “I LOVE Y’ALL!” HIS I LOVE YOU CAME WITH PROOF."
Read the rest of the blog post here -> https://pearsonsministries.com/its-all-a-big-show/
If you're more of an audio person, check out his series "Who Cares?" It changed my life. https://pearsonsministries.com/who-cares/