It is insufficient when the only way we understand the love of God is just about a Father that gives good gifts to His children. If the only way we understand God is from the view point of needs-provision GOD, it will be easy for us to overlook the fact that God also have needs, desires, Will, purpose, agendas, or plans for our lives that on daily basis He is looking down upon the earth to see a man or a woman, sons or daughters, who will cry to Him saying, "Father! What is it you will like me to do for you today?" "Whatever your Will is for me, I am available and ready". But in most cases, many don't care to seek for God, nor what it is He expects any of us to do.

 

In the teachings of Christ Jesus, He did not only picture GOD, the Father, to men (or us) as just GOD who is seated somewhere waiting to give one thing and the other, good things, to both daughters and sons of men. He equally taught GOD to us as a person that has needs and intentions, and He is daily looking for sons that will run with His visions (plans), and intentions (purposes) for the earth. (See Genesis 1:26-28.)

 

In John chapter 4 verse 34, Jesus says, "My meat is to do the work of Him that sent me, and to finish it [before my time on the earth is finished for night is coming on, when no man can work].” This pictures GOD to us as Lord, Master, who sends his children, servants, out to execute His counsel, not necessarily just only needs-providing GOD. He also has needs, and He is in need of sons and daughters who will do them.

 

UNDERSTANDING THE LOVE OF GOD

ACCORDING to Matthew chapter 6 verse 33, the Bible says, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well". This Bible passage is one of the best verses of the Bible that present God to us (His children, sons and daughters) from two viewpoints of who God expressed, and how His love is understood, shared, and received. But many a time, we read this particular verse of the Bible without asking question, nor seeking the help of the Holy Spirit; we only run with the first part of the verse, and we are gone — God is like asking — "don't you think you have left a weightier matter unattended to, My child? All that many people see in the text is God who gives, and not GOD who Himself has burning desires, purpose and agendas to execute.

 

The first part of the passage says, "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness." Every kingdom exists because there is a king to rule over it, in similar way, every king requires a kingdom before he can be recognized as a functional king. But is it possible to have a king who does not have something that he has in mind to achieve for the progress of his kingdom? If there would be a king like that, it is just a matter of time, that kingdom will decline in rapid succession to death. Meaning, if there is a king who provides the need of the people, and answers to the petition of the people to him, it is necessary that the citizens of the kingdom render service to the king to enable him to achieve the progressive agendas for the kingdom for the common good of all.

 

As much as God gives to us, He is also expected to get from His own to have His Will in our lives and through us on the earth achieved.

 

THE TWO-SIDE EXPRESSIONS OF GOD'S LOVE

1. THE LOVE OF GOD AS A NATURE, AND

2. THE LORD OF GOD AS AN ACT

 

THE LOVE OF GOD AS A NATURE

This is the side of the love of GOD that seems to be overlooked by many who have come to Him and have enjoyed the act of the love of GOD, who also want or expect that God reproduces His act of love to them over and over again. NATURE talks about what something or somebody is: the traits that are peculiar to a living being, or plants. God is living, His Word is also living, and he is eternal. In the account of 1 John chapter 4 verse 16, the Bible says, "GOD is love". And when you still read Galatians chapter 5 verse 22, the Bible says, " The fruit of the Spirit is Love..."

 

HE IS LOVE

Apart from love being an expression of action or affection is also the NATURE of GOD. It is also the nature of man, the son of GOD. Love is the personality of GOD, and the identity of man. Love is the fruit of GOD just like a mango tree is expected to produce mango fruit for the consumption and for the satisfaction of hunger. Love is the outflow of the person of GOD that gives birth to how God is expressed to all His creatures, and how He is perceived as God. Love is the hallmark of Christian life the same way God is defined by love. It is in the nature of GOD that His power and purpose is expressed. Every living thing or plant has a nature, and behaves peculiarly to its order of being. A dog has a nature, and it is peculiar to it. The uniqueness of the nature of every living being it's the reason for the peculiarity of what their needs are.

 

Love expresses God as living being: with a unique form, and existing according to His order. This attribute or personality makes GOD to have sets of desires, purposes, agendas, and character he desires to become the desires, purpose, passions, that the sons of men should embrace to pattern their lives after; pursue, and accept as culture to practice. A peculiar text in Psalms chapter 14 verse 2 to 3 says, "The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any that act wisely, that seek after God.  They have all gone astray, they are all alike corrupt; there is none that does good, no, not one.  Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread, and do not call upon the Lord?"

 

Nature gives rise to identity, needs, potentials, intentions, and purpose. If man will be perfect as commanded by our Father in heaven, and not be guilty of GOD'S expectations for his or her life, the same way we long for the acts of God's love, the same way the identity, needs, potentials, intentions, and purpose, must become our drive and culture to practice all the days of our lives in the Land of the living to do and to fulfill for the pleasure of our Lord and Marker. The Book of Matthew where we read at the beginning says, "It is only after the interest of the kingdom of GOD is embraced in us, and His Purpose, passion, and Will are given priority in our lives, only then we can enjoy the acts of the God's love to the fullest (paraphrased)".

 

If we ignore His purpose, passion, and Will (the elements of His nature) — things that God Himself hunger after that His sons and daughters should do, we can't get the fullness of His acts. The kingdom of GOD is not without principles; God has principles, and His principles must not be ignored, if we want to get or enter into the fullness of His blessings and inheritance for us. The Book of prophet Jonah says something that is very relevant for this teaching; Jonah chapter 2 verse 8, it says, "Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love [Grace] for them".

 

GOD has desires, and one of His desires for the land of Nineveh was to show His mercy [Love] to the inhabitants of the land. And for this to come to pass, JONAH was raised and prepared for the assignment in executing this Divine long awaiting agenda. But the man of GOD, JONAH, whom had enjoyed the acts of God's love so much to the point of being favored as the mouth piece of GOD Almighty in his generation was tempted to avert and bring the counsel of GOD to not. Having disobeyed the Word of the Lord, still under the acts of God's love, the same Jonah sought protection in the belly of the fish, crying for Mercy, this same mercy that he judged other men not worthy of getting from the Lord, do you see?

 

It is easier for children of God to reach out, or call out, to the acts of God's love than letting the will of GOD to be done in their lives, or through their lives to others. My prayer for us is that, we will not only be children or sons who long for bread, but do not care what is our responsibilities to give or perform towards the bread bakery so that as much as we desire to get the product to satisfy our needs, the bakery don't go into extinction. If everyone comes to the bakery to get bread without paying for the bread ordered, it is a matter of time, when the people come their next time to get bread the bakery could become a poultry.

 

If this must not happen to the kingdom that we desire her prosperity, the kingdom of our GOD, Father, and Lord, then it is high time we went to our Father and say, "Lord, what is it you will have me do, what do you will that I do for you while it is called today?" "I don't just want my relationship with you to be just collecting, receiving —one-way traffic — favour, the goods; I want to also make impact to the kingdom, give me the Grace that I need to become productive just as you are, to the kingdom!” May these become our hunger, desires, and longing in Jesus’ name! Amen

 

THE LOVE OF GOD AS AN ACT

What can be wonderful as Love? What can be beautiful and mind blowing like the love of GOD, "Who did not spare His own Son, but freely offer Him up for us all. That while we were still unprofitable, He gave us His love!" John added in chapter 3 verse 16 saying, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." This is wonderful, right? But if that is all we have known and understood as the demonstration of the acts of the love of GOD, then we would have known and understood not just as much as Adam did.

 

It means Adam will beat his chest tomorrow, and say to our faces, he knew more about the love of GOD than we all. The love of GOD for man does not begin with "Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given". That is not all to it, there is much more to talk about in the memory lane. In fact, there are much more to know and understand about the love of GOD if we look carefully, and we are opened to the teachings of the Holy Spirit. Let's take a brief glance at the Genesis of the love of GOD for man.  The love of GOD for man is an extraordinary thing. GOD is not trying to be careful at all in lavishing His love when it is man that is the matter of focus or interest. God's act of love towards man is marvelously endless, and it is the greatest thing that has ever been mentioned on the face of the earth.

 

In Genesis chapter 1 verse 26, the Bible recorded the blue print and fashion that God desired to create man: exactly as Himself, to look like He looks, and be able to do things that God Himself can do in the sphere that He has appointed to man to exercise His kingship and leadership:  Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” The man created in the image of GOD is spirit dwelling in a body, earthen vessel. And for making man after His likeness gives man the privilege to function and behave like God who is the source, identity of man — wow! This is excellent!

And whatever is true for Adam is equally true for you and I. But this is not all. Do you notice also that all that God made from Genesis chapter 1 from verse 1 to 25, there is nothing among all that God made in equipping the earth that is primarily made because GOD lacks it and in need of it? In Genesis chapter 1 verse 3, He created Light — talking about spiritual access — He granted man spiritual access into the realm of GOD'S presence in the Spirit so that man can freely fellowship with the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. And in verse 14 of same chapter 1, after God was done creating the firmament, He made two other great lights, to rule the physical realm of man — environmental access — so he could go about his daily activities according to the purpose of GOD for him in Him.

 

Plants, animals, birds, foods, water...including all that God made are to meet the needs of man basically. Love motivated God, the Creator, to serve the needs of His creatures first before talking of assigning him agendas and purpose to perform. (See Gen. 2:15–19.) The Love of GOD is so great! Love is everything GOD is, and we must become: His nature — in actions, speech, and walk. We must be ready to be spent for love. It is a malfunctioning for a citizen of the kingdom to do something that is not love defined. Despite the rebellion of man in Genesis chapter 3, GOD has never at any point given up on man before. He is so rich in love that He will always put my first. Before we conclude, let's see some characteristics of the love of GOD.

 

CHARACTERISTICS/FEATURES OF THE LOVE OF GOD

1. GOD begins with love: He is love in person. In God is the universal love for all. (See John. 3:16, 1:1; 1 John. 4:16.)

2. The love of God is merciful and graciously free for all. (See Rom. 3:24.)

3. God is love without end: GOD is the source of excess and endless love. (See Rom. 8:38–39.)

4. Faith is the only access key to becoming a trustee to the endless love of GOD. (See John. 3:16.)

5. The love of GOD is endless. (See 1 John. 4:16; Rev. 22:8.)

6. The love of GOD is unmerited. (See Rom. 5:6.)

7. The love of GOD is racism free. (See 2 Cor. 5:14.)

8. The love of GOD is sectionalism free. (Rom. 1:16.)

9. The love of GOD is bottomless and boundless. When you enter into it, your leg won't be able to touch the foundation — the more you free yourself into it, the more you enjoy the swimming, it will just carry you and you will just be floating. (Rom. 5:5.)

10. The love of GOD is typology free. It is one and holistic. Once you get it, you get it all, and the more you trust and free yourself into in God's hands the more you enjoy His love. (See John. 1:12.)

11. Love is Joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, selflessness... (see Gal. 5:22–23.)

 

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" (Romans 8:35, NKJV.) Friend, this is a serious question that requires every individual to consider it and answer either to himself or to God. I don't know what your answer would be. But if you ask me, I will prefer to form team with our beloved brother Paul to echo the same thing, "NOTHING". " IN DEED, NOTHING CAN SEPARATE ME FROM THE LOVE OF GOD THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS MY LORD". What about you, can suffering, issues that you have to come through as you build your potentials in Him, lack of jobs, lack of adequate essential goods and luxury of life, from the love of GOD that is in Christ Jesus our Lord?

 

Think over this matter again, consider the magnificent of His love that was freely given to us in His Son. The Lord GOD gave the earth to man freely as his place of exercise of dominion; to keep, tend, and rule over it, order it, command it. As powerful and glorious as the angels are, they don't have their own separate area or sphere or realm of personal Dominion and influence; they are but ministry spirits to the heir of salvation (you and I). Praise the Lord!!! What is more that the Lord has not done for you and for me? Of course, He has done so much, He has done much more than are expected on excellent rating. He has done what none can do for you and me. And my prayer for you is that, NOTHING; both good times and bad times will be able to separate you from the love of GOD that is given us in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Thanks for the gift of your time, I am John Ojoagbene!

Feel free to share your thoughts or testimony in the comment box below. I promise to respond to them as soon as possible!