The Nature of Love

"It is not the nature of love to force a relationship but it is the nature of love to open the way." ~ Papa (The Shack p.192)

Have you ever questioned whether or not God was working in the lives of other people? You know...the ones that you have been praying for that never seem to change. There is one thing that I know for certain: God is always working.

Bill Faye, creator of "Share Jesus Without Fear", talks about this very thing. In his testimony he goes through a listing of people who shared the gospel with him. Most of those people were verbally abused, mocked, and rejected. However, he never forgot the faces or the people that shared with him. In his mind, they were successful witnesses to God. How is that possible? These people were successful because they were obedient.

Friends, I don't want you to ever lose hope when praying for the lost around you. You must trust in the power of the Gospel and the nature of God. God is always reaching out to those who do not know Him. He will never force a relationship on anyone. But every time you come around, every time you share the "Good News", and every time you trust in the Cross - you are opening the way to a relationship.

It seems as though we forget that not every person that came into contact with Jesus chose to believe in Him. In fact...many rejected, many cried out for His crucifixion, and even after His resurrection many still chose not to believe. Yet even in the midst of all this rejection, the way to a relationship was opened.

Take Note of What God Has Accomplished:
> God has reconciled Himself to the entire world.
> God has chosen not to count the sins of the world against them.
> God has forgiven the world already.
> God has provided an opportunity for everyone to be saved.
The death of Jesus has opened the door. What was once only attainable through obedience and sacrifice has been made available through faith in Jesus Christ. The salvation of the lost hinges upon the grace of God at work in the belief of an individual. If they will simply believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus, and choose to make Him Lord of their lives; they will be saved.

While many of you know this truth, it is good to be reminded of the nature of God's love. All you need to do is be a demonstration of that love. A love that never condemns, never shames, and is ready to accept all of those who come by faith. There is not one person in this world that is outside of the reach of God's love. There is no such thing as a hopeless situation or lost cause. God manifests His love through you, the Holy Spirit does all of the convicting, and Jesus stands ready to save all who call upon Him. That is the nature of love. The question is: Are you ready to demonstrate His nature to those around you?