Here is the revelation that is shaping my life today – it’s personal. Love makes it personal.
Luke 13:23 TPT
[23] A bystander asked him, “Lord, will only a few have eternal life?”
Observation
Who makes it? How many make it? We ask these questions and we hypothesise our answers. The only real question that matters is – “do I have eternal life?” When you ask the question personally with a heart for the answer to be yes, then you will find eternal life is yours. If eternal life is living in the fullness of God’s kingdom and the uninterrupted presence of love, then love will never turn away anyone who comes wanting to be in on love. This is not a corporate question it’s a personal question, for it’s a personal invitation that love makes. We want to put rules and qualifications around entry criteria because we want to judge others and qualify ourselves when love simply asks the personal question – “do you want to live in my love?” Simple question seeking a simple answer, yes or no!
We judge God often based on how we answer this question by the bystander. Our judgement sounds like this – “how can a good God send people to hell?” “If your God is cruel and judgemental, and punishes people like that then I want nothing to do with him.” The answer is simple, she doesn’t. You are never sent away from love, you walk away from love. What is ‘hell’ other than the absence of love? It’s chosen personally, there is no corporate answer, it’s personal, and love always makes it personal.
There is no work in the answer, there is only faith. You don’t know intellectually that you are loved, you don’t even know emotionally that love has received you, you only know it by faith. When you say yes to her offer of life in her presence for eternity, the only assurance you have is that of faith, trust, in love’s faithfulness to receive you. We want to add works of some kind for when criteria are set and met we feel secure in our deserved acceptance, but love won’t work that way. So stop trying to work out the who and the how, and answer love’s question, personally – do you want to live in my love forever? This is the question God asks us each individually. And your answer is all that matters.
Application
Yes, yes, yes. Now I will rest by faith in love’s faithfulness. I will live with eternity secured in my future and shape today with that assurance.
Response
Thank you for the simple, personal offer of your love forever. This is the most beautiful and critical question of life, thank you that you did not make it out of reach for anyone, but open for all who would say yes.
Meditation
Meditate – what is my answer to love’s offer?
Consider:
How often do I put criteria to love’s open question?
Have I said yes?
JOURNEY DEEPER