A Journal Submitted by: Jaque Shank
Every good gift and every perfect ( free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that gives] light, in [the shining of] Whom there can be no variation [rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [as in an eclipse]. And it was of His own [free] will that He gave us birth [as sons] by [His] Word of Truth, so that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures [a sample of what He created to be consecrated to Himself]. James 1:17-18 (AMP)
Everything is God; it’s all His Story Jaque, of My own will I have loved you from who I am. I can’t not love you, because I am love. Your ability to love (Me or anyone else truly) comes because of your receptivity to My love. If you didn’t respond I would still love you, but you wouldn’t know it. You would miss out, but I couldn’t let that happen, because I love you.
You know Me because I drew you and you responded. Would you think of Me as a loving God if I didn’t draw you to what is best for you, even if that happens to be Myself? I’m willing to bring you to Me the easiest way you will come. Does not My luring you, calling you, pressing you, and even using the threat of hell should you not respond demonstrate My love for you? If I didn’t do these things wouldn’t you think of Me as unloving? I’ll use any measure (according to who I am) to draw you to Myself. (All of God does all that God does)
Does that mean I’m forcing you to love Me? By no means. You have a choice. Many have resisted and taken the journey to hell. Still, I will that all would be saved, because I am love.
Father, I like who I am as a loved creature, and I don’t like who I was as an unloved creature. Even though you always loved me, I was loved without tangible knowledge of the truth. My head knew you loved me but my heart was far from you.
I never experienced your tangible, touchable presence until I let go of my preconceived ideas about your love and just let You love me. I see that even Christians living on the fringes of your love sense a hell that is far too close for comfort.
You want more for us. Thank you. Wanting me, You pursued me again and again. I was caught up trying to earn your love with religious good works and You used my husband (before his death) to pursue me. Through him you showered me with more love than I had ever experienced. I felt smothered sometimes and didn’t know how to respond, but I learned.
Now I can see, hear, smell, taste, and touch your love. Now I want more of You Lord. I will never quit wanting to experience You for who You are. Yes, I feel eternity creeping into me like leaven. I’ve tasted enough to realize that I am a first fruit of what You have consecrated for Yourself. Enjoy me Lord, for I am certainly going to keep enjoying You. Thank You, thank You, and thank You!
It is true. We cannot love others until we learn to respond to His love. To the degree or measure we respond to His Love for us, is the degree or measure we will be able to love others. His love is so great because He is so great. He is huge so His love is huge and can be overwhelming at times, so I learned to ask Him to expand my capacity to receive Perfect Love.