The Love of God Poured Out

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:5

God’s love for us has been lavishly poured out to the point of overflowing within our hearts. What does this mean? For me, anyway it has significant meaning. When circumstances arise where there is great sadness, the loss of a loved one for example, it is God’s love for me, that I have found so trustworthy. Let me explain. My last post was on November 20th, I was preparing for the next one around the 25th 0r 26th of November with Thanksgiving just a couple of days away, I thought this was a good time to write about our praise and giving of thanks to the Lord. My mother, who was diagnosed with liver disease earlier this year, had taken a turn for worse, so exactly a week before Thanksgiving, we had to put her in a convalescent care facility, where she was in need of more urgent 24 hour care. My step-father asked if I could be there to help her understand that he cannot do this by himself anymore. A husband’s toughest proclamation in my estimation is his confession to his wife, that after more than 42 years, he can’t care for her anymore in the way she needed. His exact words were, “Remember how we used to walk together? We can’t do that anymore.” I witnessed a husband’s love for his wife.

On my way home from work, I work 24 hour shifts being a firefighter, I received a phone call, My mom had passed away at 6:05am on November 26th two days before Thanksgiving. I could remember how insignificant and how unimportant everything I had to do that day felt compared to this. My mother who had taught me so much about love, was gone. My deepest solace was knowing where she was now. In the presence of Christ. Over all the recent past visits earlier this year, my pressing need became more and more aware to me, of how I made God’s love for her more apparent. By reading the Scriptures to her, by talking about heaven, about what it would be like to be in the presence of God for all eternity became frequent conversations between her and I. Yes, her memory being effected by her dreaded liver disease, made it even more simplified. “Jesus loves you mom!” Her ways of showing love to her family and to everyone who knew her became the repeated theme of all those who came forward to eulogize her life’s impact on their own lives. The Lord begins in someone’s life a relationship with them who often then pours that same love and Christ-like character into another life. I know that is what being a parent is all about, but as I spoke at my mom’s memorial service, it dawned on me, that what I had seen firsthand, and experienced all through my childhood and into adulthood, that not everyone had the same experience with their own parent. I remember saying how easily I could take all of what I experienced for granted, as if everyone received the same type of love in their own lives.

Paul told Timothy, When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:5-7). The significance of a godly mother is what Paul was referring to when he reminded Timothy, who at such a young age had received Christ, and was now being groomed for ministry through his relationship to Paul. It begins somewhere, and usually it comes from a godly home. God has implanted within our hearts evidence that we belong to Him in that we love the One who first loved us: Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested towards us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He first loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another (1 John 4:7-11). God’s sending His Son gives Christians not only salvation privilege, but obligation to follow this pattern of sacrificial love. Christian love must be self-sacrificing like God’s love. And often seen in a mother’s love.

Beloved friend, The love from parents can shape the life of your children in such a significant way. My father went to be with the Lord on Christmas day in 2010. It is not how we start out in this life that’s important, but  how we finish. Both of my parents finished well, the race marked out for them (Hebrews 12:1-2). My mother’s passing will also have the same impact on my life, where as I have been given such a privilege of sharing the Love of Christ with my own family first, but also with others as well. I thank God for my heritage and for the legacy my parents have left me to further on what God hath started: being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6) our reward for following Christ still awaits us, but as we have been given godly examples to follow, so let us remain steadfast for those who will follow us and let them see the love of Christ in us.

May the Lord bless your walk with Him !

Dedicated to the memory of  Christine M. Sanchez : 7/24/35 — 11/26/13

Author: rontrujillo

Married 37 years We have six children. All of whom are adult. Three are married one of them blessed us with three beautiful grandchildren. Retired Firefighter @ Boeing Aircraft 37 years (Formally McDonnell Douglas) Born Again Summer of 1981 View all posts by rontrujillo