What pictures does "lovable" bring to mind? Personally I think of a cute and fuzzy plush toy, a smiling face with outstretched arms just begging to be held close. Synonyms for "lovable" include: endearing, engaging, attractive, adorable, lovely, sweet, cuddly, charming and pleasing. One thing these synonyms have in common is being lovable is largely based on appearances and subjective personal opinion--not by demonstrated quality of character. We can put a great deal of emphasis on looking lovely, but that does not mean we are lovable.
I was struck by David's exhortation in Psalm 31:23-24: "Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints! For the LORD preserves the faithful, and fully repays the proud person. 24 Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the LORD." Forget the fluffy teddy bear with the embroidered smile: God is the most lovable being of all! God is worthy of all love as He is absolutely loving, though He is not in the least bit "cute" or "cuddly." He has demonstrated His love for us sinners, not with chocolate or fluffy keepsakes, but by dying on the cross for our redemption and salvation. He preserves the faithful, provides courage, and strengthens our hearts as we hope in Him.
The lovable plush toy or pet that loves attention cannot meet the needs of our souls. 1 John 4:19 says of God, "We love Him because He first loved us." When a person goes to the pet shop or breeder to purchase a cute, lovable puppy or kitten, that animal was loved and chosen before it could respond to love and attention. To a domesticated animal the buyer was just one of many people who stopped by and watched it play, but after becoming an owner and caretaker a relationship began. God has done a similar thing for people, having loved each human being before we were conceived and individually fashioned by Him in the womb of our mothers. Isn't God lovable for His goodness towards us, to create us by grace and pursue a relationship with us?
Jesus Christ said to His disciples in John 15:12-17: "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another." We did not choose God, but He chose us; we love Him because He first loved us. Because He loves us we ought to love Him and one another, and consequently He makes us more lovable ourselves.
I was struck by David's exhortation in Psalm 31:23-24: "Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints! For the LORD preserves the faithful, and fully repays the proud person. 24 Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the LORD." Forget the fluffy teddy bear with the embroidered smile: God is the most lovable being of all! God is worthy of all love as He is absolutely loving, though He is not in the least bit "cute" or "cuddly." He has demonstrated His love for us sinners, not with chocolate or fluffy keepsakes, but by dying on the cross for our redemption and salvation. He preserves the faithful, provides courage, and strengthens our hearts as we hope in Him.
The lovable plush toy or pet that loves attention cannot meet the needs of our souls. 1 John 4:19 says of God, "We love Him because He first loved us." When a person goes to the pet shop or breeder to purchase a cute, lovable puppy or kitten, that animal was loved and chosen before it could respond to love and attention. To a domesticated animal the buyer was just one of many people who stopped by and watched it play, but after becoming an owner and caretaker a relationship began. God has done a similar thing for people, having loved each human being before we were conceived and individually fashioned by Him in the womb of our mothers. Isn't God lovable for His goodness towards us, to create us by grace and pursue a relationship with us?
Jesus Christ said to His disciples in John 15:12-17: "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another." We did not choose God, but He chose us; we love Him because He first loved us. Because He loves us we ought to love Him and one another, and consequently He makes us more lovable ourselves.
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