God’s Love for Us:

In this chapter, we will talk about God’s love for and toward us. What He did for people all around the world who would believe in Him. Then we will talk about how that love translates into Grace.

God never stops loving us, no matter what we do or where we go, He wants us to remain in Him, that is the very reason He created us, to have that relationship. As for way too many, they will perish not knowing or sensing God’s unfailing love by turning their back on the one true God who loves them to the very end, they will be perishing without hope while He continues to love them as His creation.

One of the stories that best describes the idea of some spending their whole life serving God as compared to deathbed confessions and final surrender to God is found in The Parable of the Workers:

The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a small silver coin of ancient Rome, a denarius and sent them into his vineyard.

About the third hour, he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace not doing anything. “You also go into my vineyard,” he said, “and I will pay you whatever is right.” So, they went.

He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing.

About the eleventh hour, he went out and found still others standing around. “Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?” he asked.

“Because no one has hired us,” they answered.

He then told them, “You also go into my vineyard.”

When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, “Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the last ones hired and moving on to the first.”

The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. Then the original workers came, and they assumed they would receive more. In the end, all the workers received what they were told, but the ones that worked hard all day saw what the workers who came later received.

On receiving their pay, they began to grumble against the landowner. “These men who were hired last worked only one hour,” they said, “and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.”

But he answered one of them, “Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Did you not agree with me on one denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give this last man the same as I gave you. Do I not have the right to do as I please with what is mine? Or are you envious because I am generous? 

“So, the last will be first, and the first will be last.” (See Matthew 20:1-16 for story).

So, what does this mean for you and me?

We have this wondrous hope for the lost even to their last breath. This is God’s grace in action and we can cling to that hope, however, I only hope that those who are lost do not wait, for God has given us purpose in our demonstration of Love for Him and you really do not want to miss out on that purpose, and especially in knowing and sensing His Love.

You might be thinking, that is not fair – I have worked hard all my life in service for the Lord, what is the point – I could have lived my life doing what I wanted and having lots of fun, and then I could change my mind right before I die. That is so true you could consider that, but also consider this thought; God is also a God of judgment too, and, He alone holds the appointment for your life and only He knows when you are going to die, you do not (see Hebrews 9:27). However, even though there cannot be real love without judgment and justice, right now, we are talking about God’s unfailing love for us and our relationship with Him.