February 2010
It is such a joy to know that you are reading the monthly view. It is my prayer that while viewing this site, you will be affirmed in God's abounding love. A dear saint, Anna Terruwe, M.D., says: "God's love in Christ Jesus is the ultimate affirming love that heals human wounds and patiently awaits our graced response." May the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you.1
Affirmation of God
Webster's dictionary defines affirm as "to validate, confirm, state positively, assert as valid or confirmed," and affirmation as "the act of affirming, something affirmed: a positive assertion."
In the beginning, God made man in His own image and affirmed His creation as very good.2 He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.3 After Adam and Eve chose to disobey their Creator, sin entered their hearts. This act brought all sorts of spiritual, mental, emotional, and social wounds. "But God commanded His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."4
In June 1975, I experienced God's ultimate affirming love. It is the love of God which heals human wounds through Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit came into my heart as the true source of life and the minister of healing, through His affirming love. When I looked into the mirror, I saw His image upon my face, and since that day, my life has never been the same.
God's Affirming Love
My spiritual rebirth was only the beginning of my spiritual growth. It has been a slow and gradual process for thirty-five years, or a progressive healing that is still going on to this day. I became a new creation in Christ,5 partaking of the divine nature,6but I still needed a spiritual renewal of my thoughts, choices, and emotions.
All of us need to grow in the grace and knowledge of God's affirming love, and have this affirmed by those who know God's love. It is His unconditional love, along with the unselfish emotional love of others, that heals our soul of fear, anger, resentment, anxiety, insecurity, and the feeling of inferiority. These are a few of the emotions rooted in the soul of an unhealthy "people-pleaser," with a burning desire to be loved unconditionally. Maybe this is you?
The Good News is that God's amazing love heals our wounds through faith in Christ's death, burial, resurrection and by the outpouring of His Holy Spirit. This regeneration, transformation, and restoration of the soul comes through being renewed by God's word -- which is His love story to us. As our thoughts line up with God's, then our emotions come into harmony with sound reasoning, which supports our will, and empowers our life with the Spirit of love, peace, and joy. Jesus said, "Abide in my love, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full."8
Affirming Others
It is hard for us to affirm His love in others, unless we have been affirmed in His love ourselves. Often, we show love through religious actions, instead of living it as a way of life. But don't let that discourage you, since we all have to start somewhere. As we step out in faith towards maturity, the Lord will empower you to live the affirming life, and He will be with you to correct any wrong motives.
The main thing is to be continuously conscience of God's love for you. We must be willing to live the affirming life. It is extremely important to challenge all judgmental thoughts towards others by reminding yourself that God loves others just as He does you. You may need to slow down, lead a quieter and unhurried life, and spend time in God's presence. Then the Holy Spirit can lead you to affirm others in love. I pray that you will be open to hear from God the unique goodness in everyone you meet.
The Apostle John says, "Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. But anyone who does not loves, does not know God -- for God is love. He showed how much He loved us by sending His only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins."9
A Prayer For You ...
Heavenly Father, I pray that my love for others will overflow more and more, and that I will keep growing in Your knowledge and understanding. I want to understand what really matters, so that I may live a pure and blameless life until Christ returns. May I always be filled with the fruit of Your righteousness -- those good things that are produced in my life by Jesus Christ -- in order to bring glory and praise to You, Amen.10
Scripture References:
1 1 Thess. 3:12
2 Gen. 1:31
3 Gen. 2:7
4 Rom. 5:8
5 2 Cor. 5:17
6 2 Pet. 1:4
7 Eph. 4:23
8 John 15:11
9 1 John 4:7-10
10 Phil. 1:9-11
Acknowledgement: A special thanks to Sherry for transcribing this months view!