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“In his essential nature and in all his actions, God is loving.”

A thought by Henry Cloud, from his book, Changes That Heal (p. 60). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

He really is!

Henry says. “Insofar as we are created in his image, love is foundational to being a person and to being a Christian. ‘Dear friends,’ says John, ‘let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God’ (1 John 4:7). Love is the basic identity of God; it is therefore basic to our identity also.

“Even truth is held captive by love. When asked, what is the greatest commandment, Jesus said, ‘“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments“‘ (Matt. 22:37–40).

“When we understand that the foundation of existence lies in relationship, for it is the way God exists, it begins to make sense why love is the highest ethic. The law is a structure, or a blueprint, for loving. The law is the way that love is to be lived out.”

Henry goes on, “Relationship, or bonding, then, is at the foundation of God’s nature. Since we are created in his image, relationship is our most fundamental need, the very foundation of who we are. Without relationship, without attachment to God and others, we can’t be our true selves. We can’t be truly human.”

He then says, “If we are to grow and thrive, we need to be “rooted and grounded in love.” We are literally to draw from the love of God and others to fuel our transformation and fruit-bearing. We cannot imagine putting a plant in a cardboard box in the garage and expecting it to blossom. The plant would not make it for very long. To grow, it must have sunlight, water, and nutrients.

“We sometimes think, however, that we can supply all of our needs without other people. We think that, in a state of emotional and spiritual isolation, we can still grow. This grave violation of the basic nature of the universe can cause serious problems.”

The key is, we really need God and we really need each other.  You see that don’t you? 

Yes, yes!

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