Foundational Love of God

Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God, and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love. For you will render to a man according to his work. Psalm 62:11-12

 Authentic, dependable love is a divine commodity – it is not something we produce. We are changed by love and in love.

Any type of personal change requires time, and needs to build on a solid base. The only foundation for all change is love. God’s love is what soul shaping is about. God loves our clay too much to leave us the way we are right now. Embracing that the Potter is love and learning to trust in the process of the wheel work is important. 

We may have to do some work on our image of God here. We may have an image of God that we’re going to get slammed, thrown to the wheel in anger by an angry God. If we don’t believe in and trust God’s love for us, we’ll falter and question the ongoing transformation process.

Authentic, dependable love is a divine commodity. It is not something we produce. We are changed by love and in love. This is the way the Divine Potter works. The Bible says that “love is from God” (1 John 4:7). God embodies love. It’s what God does. God offers this love to us, without reserve or limitation. When we embrace this love, we believe in God’s goodness, concern, and involvement with us. This sounds easy, but accepting this love is challenging for us. For various reasons, we throw up barriers, misunderstand God’s intentions, or get so busy we lose our love relationship with him.

“If we want to deal with God the right way,” writes theologian Eugene Peterson, “we have to learn to love the right way. God and love can’t be separated.” Neither can God’s love and spiritual transformation.

For Reflection:

1. As you picture yourself on the Potter’s Wheel, is there an adjustment that needs to be made in you about the Potter’s heart or intention?

2. Is accepting God’s love a challenge for you?

3. What barriers might be keeping you from fully experiencing the love of God?