THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD - PART 332

Behold the flowers of the field and how they grow. They do not work for their survival. Neither do they require spin to promote their beauty. Still the scriptures state that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed more beautifully than one of these!

Similarly, the Lord of Glory, JESUS had by Himself made all things in heaven and upon earth. Yet He for our sakes became poor so that we through Him might become rich. Admittedly, He despised the shame that was attached to this human existence. Nevertheless, His love for His betrothed bride - His people - led Him to a sacrificial death at Calvary. Now if this act, in and of itself is not love, then we would have to redefine the word love. For there is no pen that can portray true love in word’s alone - particularly not the love that led to God taking on human form so that we might have salvation.

However, we do recognize that among the attributes of love, that love is mystical and beautiful. So what we have in JESUS is the love of God manifest in human form. We also have the scriptures that state, "Love not only in words but in deed." In this context, this is the LOVE of God personified - for men and women.

The Church then - which is the body of Christ - is to become the bride of Christ, engaged so to speak to be His wife. Ephesians chapter five elaborates on this point. For God to redeem His bride, we find written that Christ (God Himself manifest in the flesh as a Son) loves His bride to be more than He loved His own life. And He would willingly sacrifice His life for her redemption.

But His bride to be was unfaithful to Him. She turned and was charmed by another - one who was a smooth talker and undoubtedly promised her the sun, moon and stars. In other words a smooth talking liar who then led her into a life of captivity. In the beginning, Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden were warned of God not to partake of two trees. The first tree being the tree of knowledge - good and evil and the second, the tree of life!

Like the cliches we often use - sayings like curiosity killed the cat or you shall not do this or that meant the opposite. Most often saying these statements meant going ahead and doing it. This direction even though the two were previously warned of God not to eat of the fruit. As a consequence of their actions, we as their offspring reap the consequences of side stepping the Word of our Creator. But God had a plan.

Earlier when we stated that the Lord of Glory became poor for our sakes, it was true. God left His glory so that we could became rich. In fact, we became so rich that we fell head over heels in love with Him who had become poor. We became inseparable - 24/7. We basked in the sunshine of His radiance. We hungered and thirsted to know more of Him. We realize that nothing shall separate us from God’s Love, a love that plain and simply will not let us go. We may say that silver and gold we have not but we have something much more than wealth and fame. We have someone worth living for -the same God who created us who was willing to go to the cross.

In other words, we fell in love with a poor man. We did not know that He was the Lord of Glory. But we did discover the that the love of God is much sweeter than wine. And that He whispers sweet love to those in His presence. There is similarly fullness of joy! Sow this SEED! Tell all of your friends. Why? Because HIS = God's love never fails!