1 John 4:8 NKJV
“…God is love.”
Personal experiences, cultural backgrounds, religious beliefs, political doctrines, scientific ideologies, philosophical theories, and so on, all influence the way man thinks. Fortunately or otherwise, how the human mind is shaped by these factors largely ends up being how his understanding of God is also shaped. In other words, many view and try to ‘explain’ who God is through the lenses of life experience, culture, religion, science, politics, and philosophy—all of which are subjective to time and circumstances. Thankfully, the Holy Scriptures leave no gray areas about God’s identity.
By the revelation the Spirit of God gave to the Apostle John, for instance, we are made to know without doubt that “God is love”, as in our reference text. Notice, the Word does not say ‘God has love’ (though that is equally true). However, our God is love; His nature is love, a divine nature that is not subject to time, space, or circumstances. Early in history, when Israel had done nothing deserving of God’s love, Moses would remind them saying, “Out of heaven He let you hear His voice, that He might instruct you…And because He loved your fathers, therefore He chose their descendants after them; and He brought you out of Egypt with His Presence, with His mighty power” (Deu 4:36-37 NKJV). Hallelujah!
God’s judgments are slow but out of love (Psa 145:8). It is out of God’s great love that He sent His Son Jesus for us men and for our salvation (Joh 3:16). The LORD disciplines those He loves (Heb 12:6); His lovingkindness is better than life (Psa 63:3); God is love. Hallelujah! When we reorient our understanding and perspective of God with the truth in our reference text, all the ‘fighting’ against God, quarrelling and arguing with Him in prayer will cease. On the contrary, we will be constrained (compelled) by His love to love and serve Him gladly the more (2 Cor 5:14). Hallelujah!
Pst. Emmanuel