“is”
By Jeremy Glaze
1 John 4:16 tells us that “God is love“. I have read this verse dozens of times without truly grasping what it is saying. I would read it and just think “yea, God loves us”. But there is so much more there that I was missing just from that one little word “is”. God IS love. That is His character, His being. He will not break away from that. In everything that He does, He does it out of love.
I know this to be true from past experiences. There have been several instances where I had no idea what God was doing in my life. I did not even know if He was there. At that certain point, I would ask “why”. But looking back now, I can clearly see that He was carrying me through that low-point to bring me closer to Him. And thinking back to how each instance played out, I feel that it made me a stronger person. Through each valley, I feel I came out with a better understanding, a better relationship with Him.
There is a Caedmon’s Call song that says:
“Looking back You know You had to bring me through
All that I was so afraid of
Though I questioned the sky, now I see why
Had to walk the rocks to see the mountain view
Looking back I see the lead of love”
My main reason for expressing this, is I am trying to get it through my own head to trust God. And not just when things are going my way. Trust Him while I am in the valley, trust Him when I have my doubts, and trust Him instead of questioning Him. I am aware, just as in every walk of life, that more low-points are coming, more tragedies will happen. Instead of questioning God when I come to these valleys, I would love to trust Him through it. To know at that point that He is working everything out, and doing it out of love. I want to remember that He is building perseverance and character that leads to hope, and I will see His love poured out into me (Romans 5:3-5). No matter what He is doing, He is doing it out of the love He has for me and you. God is a lot smarter than we are, He knows what He is doing, and He is love.
This is who God is. He will not change from that.
Jeremy Glaze
