Thought for 22 September

Thought for Wednesday 22 September 1 John 4:18 NIVUK There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. Too many people today don’t know love! They have never experienced it from the very ones who should have taught them. So many times, we hear of parental abuse, where a child only knows pain and punishment. When these children grow up they are likely to show ‘love’ to their children in the same way. If anyone mentions the Love of God they can only think of a god of punishment, a god to be feared.   I can remember, when I was very young, someone telling me that when thinking of God, we should think of Him with awe rather than fear, because God loves us too much to want us to be afraid of Him. We may be afraid of what He could do but we must be assured that His Love is more to be sought than feared. God doesn’t so much punish us for our sins as He corrects us to let us know that He is not happy with our actions, we may feel guilt or be unhappy  as He guides us back to Himself. However, we must not imagine that there will be no punishment.                        2 Peter ch2 tells us all about God’s punishment , it’s worth another read. The whole chapter explains the punishment God will inflict on the guilty but the first three verses speak of  false teachers and their final destruction  (1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them – bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping). Let us then, treat others with the compassion shown to us by God. When Jesus lived on earth He showed compassion to all except those who has corrupted His Father’s word and changed His Commandments to suit themselves. It is our responsibility to let all people know about the Love of God and show the truth of it. Prayer God of love, thank You that You have shown us the love we need to grow in Your service. Help us to pass that love on to those who don’t know You, those who think of You as being the same as their earthly father. Give us the capacity to share Your love with all those we come in contact with, especially those who don’t know real unconditional love. Amen.