"The love of God is not God's making much of us, but God's saving us from self-centeredness so that we can enjoy making much of him forever. And our love to others is not our making much of them, but helping them to find satisfaction in making much of God. True love aims at satisfying people in the glory of God. Any love that terminates on man is eventually destructive. It does not lead people to the only lasting joy, namely, God. Love must be God-centered, or it is not true love; it leaves people without their final hope of joy." (John Piper, October 14, 2000 article titled "The Goal of God's Love May Not Be What You Think It Is")
"The love of God is his doing whatever needs to be done, at whatever cost to himself or to us, so that we will see and be satisfied by the love of God in Christ forever and ever." (John Piper, November 18, 2001 sermon titled "Thankful for the Love of God! Why?"
In light of Piper's comments, consider how much God loves you if you have any love for God in your heart and strive to obey God on his terms. If you don't love God, why not? There's no one and nothing more worthy of our trust, hope and love.
Below is a music video of the song "How He Loves" by John Mark McMillan from his album titled "The Medicine." The song helps communicate in song some of what John Piper points out in prose and what prayerful reading of God's Word will cause us to ponder. The lyrics are posted below the video.
How He Loves
he is jealous for meloves like a hurricane
i am a tree
bending beneath
the weight of his wind and mercy
when all of a sudden
i am unaware of these
afflictions ecclipsed by glory
and i realize just how
beautiful you are
and how great
your affections are for me
oh how he loves us so
oh how he loves us
how he loves us so
yeah he loves us
oh how he loves us
so we are his portion
and he is our prize
drawn to redemption by the grace
in his eyes
if grace is an ocean
we're all sinking
so heaven meets earth
like a sloppy wet kiss
and my heart turns violently
inside of my chest
i don't have time
to maintain these regrets
when I think about the way
that he loves us
oh how he loves us
yeah he loves us
oh how he loves us
Check out McMillan's album "The Medicine" on iTunes or Amazon.
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