Remember, I used to say that "I will never know the love of God until you show it."
I guess the only way for others to know God and God's love is through us. I know it sounds common, but it is really really deep. Think about the opposite- if we don't show that we love others, they will never ever know what God is like or His love. You never know what ice cream taste like until you actually eat it. There is no way to describe the taste to an extend where it is able to replace the taste itself- no way. Similarly, a kid who has never tasted love before, will never know God- it is humanly impossible.
You know, all this while , I always wished that people will come to know God and the love of God, and I tried to many times to describe it to my friends. I tried all kinds of ways- through the way I lived my life and all. I thought that if they saw how much I loved God, or if they saw how much God loves me and blessed me, that they will be able to understand the love of God- no. No matter how much I describe to them the feeling of eating ice cream of chocolate, they will never be able to grasp the idea until they try it for themselves. No matter how much I try to show them that I love ice cream and how many miles I walk to get it, it will only develop curiosity but it can never give them the taste. How then will they ever experience the taste? There is only one way- through me. Why is that so?
John 14:7-11
7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.
Okay, I know you might say- oh, that's because Jesus is God, and the only way to know God is through Jesus. True, but remember Jesus said in Verse 10 - "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me?" This is what makes Jesus able to extend the love of God and the person of God to them- because God is in Jesus and Jesus in God. Now let's go to Verse 20:
20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
Therefore, I understand that God is in us too. And therefore, Verse 7 applies to us too:
7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
If they had known us, they would have known God also, and from now on they know Him and have seen Him - paraphrased by Anna
I guess the only way for others to know God and God's love is through us. I know it sounds common, but it is really really deep. Think about the opposite- if we don't show that we love others, they will never ever know what God is like or His love. You never know what ice cream taste like until you actually eat it. There is no way to describe the taste to an extend where it is able to replace the taste itself- no way. Similarly, a kid who has never tasted love before, will never know God- it is humanly impossible.
You know, all this while , I always wished that people will come to know God and the love of God, and I tried to many times to describe it to my friends. I tried all kinds of ways- through the way I lived my life and all. I thought that if they saw how much I loved God, or if they saw how much God loves me and blessed me, that they will be able to understand the love of God- no. No matter how much I describe to them the feeling of eating ice cream of chocolate, they will never be able to grasp the idea until they try it for themselves. No matter how much I try to show them that I love ice cream and how many miles I walk to get it, it will only develop curiosity but it can never give them the taste. How then will they ever experience the taste? There is only one way- through me. Why is that so?
John 14:7-11
7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.
Okay, I know you might say- oh, that's because Jesus is God, and the only way to know God is through Jesus. True, but remember Jesus said in Verse 10 - "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me?" This is what makes Jesus able to extend the love of God and the person of God to them- because God is in Jesus and Jesus in God. Now let's go to Verse 20:
20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
Therefore, I understand that God is in us too. And therefore, Verse 7 applies to us too:
7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
If they had known us, they would have known God also, and from now on they know Him and have seen Him - paraphrased by Anna
Comments
I'll be speaking tomorrow about my experience visiting Indonesia trying to spread the gospel. I want to make the point of our need to show them Gods love and needed a little help. I love your analogy here with the ice cream. May I use your writing analogy as an example Sunday in Collierville, TN? I just wanted you to know.
Please be encouraged. God is surely blessing you.