John Would Know Right?

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:… 1 John 3:1

It is a real spectacle to see an all-powerful king in hot pursuit of a rebel who had defied his authority and had skipped town, and when he finally catches him, to embrace the rebel, and have him decked in purple robes, place a signet ring on his hand, declaring, “you are now my son”.

That is one plot twist to behold right? You would have thought that when that scoundrel was apprehended, he would get an almighty thrashing. Well, that is the plot twist that John was asking us to “behold”; to give our full attention and consider.

There could be nothing more spectacular. Nothing in this world compares with an iota of our inheritance as children of God

What manner of love is it that pursues the offender… the rebel, not to inflict punishment but to embrace him? If john calls us to behold it, we could say it was a spectacular kind of love. At any rate, our description of it will always be handicapped for, Paul the Apostle writes of that blessed quandary of “knowing the love of Christ which is beyond knowledge” (Eph 3:19).

John knew this love though: for while some had monikers like, sons of thunder, and the zealot, John was called “the beloved”? He knew it so much; not as a matter of mere mental cognition, but in tangible, practical forms, the ultimate of which he describes when he wrote, “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us:” (1 John 3:16)

What manner of love is it that pursues the offender… the rebel, not to inflict punishment but to embrace him?

And so John urges us to behold the spectacle of God’s love, not only by looking back at the most important event in history – the savior’s death at Calvary, but by looking at what that death procured for us which is a present daily reminder, for “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ” (Rom 8:16-17)

Heirs of God!

Heirs. Of. God!!!

There could be nothing more spectacular. Nothing in this world compares with an iota of our inheritance as children of God. It is an inconceivably priceless inheritance against which all the treasures of this world pales into utter insignificance. To borrow the words of Paul, they are like dung.

Let us behold then what manner of love the father has given on to us. It will lighten our days.

Prayer

Father, give me a deeper understanding of your love and its priceless worth.