Restoration with Love
There is no way around it: Love is the most important thing in our lives. Without love we are lost, broken and lonely. But God’s love and grace can change that. Like Kurt Bubna writes in his book Epic Grace, Chronicles of a Recovering Idiot:
“Let me tell you from firsthand experience what I know about the love and grace of God.
It’s ludicrous.
It’s scandalous.
It’s crazy.
It’s ridiculous.
It’s healing and restoring.
And it always break my heart.
If you wandered, or are wandering – or maybe you’re running as fast as you can the other way – stop and allow God’s love and grace to consume and overwhelm you. Let it cover your sins. Never forget this tremendous truth – restoration is God’s specialty.”
God’s business is restoration with love. We might argue over doctrines or ethical dilemmas but God’s business is ultimately love. God wants to shower human beings with his extraordinary love. Are we willing to receive? Or do we rather keep busy with seemingly more important matters? We really should surrender to Love because we are nothing but bankrupt without love.
If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love. (1 Cor. 13:1-3, MSG, emphasis added)
We are nothing without love, the Bible declares. But the good news is, there’s plenty of it available for anyone desiring to receive it. Because God is love. Hence, there will never be any shortage of love.
And this love is not just any love. It is transforming, resurrecting, and restoring love. Anything is possible for God. No matter how badly you’ve messed up your life. No matter how foggy your life looks like right now. No matter how low you are, Christ has been there too. God’s love conquers all. God’s love covers up your sins. God’s love redeems and restores.
“Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sins are put out of sight.
Yes, what joy for those
whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.”
(Romans 4:7-8, NLT)
This joy is given to anyone and everyone who receives God’s love and grace. It’s a sheer gift. But it keeps giving all the days of our lives. It reshapes our lives and empowers us to trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, and love extravagantly. It’s restoration with love.
Gracious God,
Pour out grace upon grace
and love upon love.
Cover up our transgressions.
Clear our record of sin, Lord.
Restore us with your love.
Enable us to trust you steadily,
hope unswervingly,
and love extravagantly.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
Q4U: Have you experienced God’s restoring love?
Be blessed, my fellow pilgrim, as you embrace God’s love and grace!
Image courtesy of Amy Beth. Linking up today with Unite the Bloggersphere , Three Word Wednesday and #tellhisstory.
This post is part of #EpicGraceWednesdays. I am blogging through Kurt Bubna’s Epic Grace. Join me every Wednesday!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review (or any review for that matter). The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
12 thoughts on “Restoration with Love”
We are neighbors for #tellhisstory and I wrote about love today, too! I love the “epic grace” quote as a description of love. His love is certainly unfathomable and I have struggled to understand it at times. But I know I don’t have to understand it, I just have to accept it.
Christy @ A Heartening Life
http://www.ahearteninglife.com
Delightful to meet you, Christy. Thank you for your comment! I agree, we don’t need to understand God’s love to accept it. Anyhow God’s love is always more than we need or even imagine. Abundant blessings!
I am your neighbor for Three Word Wednesday. Wow, this post just gets me excited! (What a great Valentine’s post too BTW.) The Father’s Love! Who can stop the love of God? I am so glad I came over to visit!
God bless you! Thanks for stirring up excitement in my soul!
Beth
I am so delighted to hear the Holy Spirit is moving in you! Yes, a post about agape love would be most appropriate for Valentine’s Day. So pleased to meet you, Beth. Blessings on your way!
Still amazed by grace…and you, Mari-Anna! Blessings!
Thank you kindly, Kurt. And thank you for writing such a powerful book. It lets grace be epic and wild! Big blessings to you too!
Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. Love is SO important in everything we do and are.
Love this:
“God’s business is restoration with love. We might argue over doctrines
or ethical dilemmas but God’s business is ultimately love. God wants to
shower human beings with his extraordinary love.”
Amen!
Thanks so much, Lisa, for your enthusiastic yes to God’s love. It is amazing. Over and over again. Agape-filled Blessings to you and yours!
All I thought about was the song “Amazing Love”!!! Amazing God!
Blessings!
That song fits perfectly! Thanks for reminding me and celebrating our Amazing God! Joy-filled Blessings to you!
I feel the need to say the same thing Lisa notes said… “Yes, yes, a thousand times yes.” And this…”And this love is not just any love. It is transforming, resurrecting, and restoring love.” Amen! Such a beautiful post. I’m so happy you shared with Three Word Wednesday. Since my word for the year is JOY I was really drawn to the verse you shared from Romans 4. Thank you!
Blessings to you,
Beth
Thank you, Beth, for your kind words! What a wonderful word you have for 2014! Joy-filled blessings to you and yours!