1 John 3:1a

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!"

Today I was with a group of people discussing this section of scripture. I encouraged them to slow down and consider each phrase, even every word, in this section. We often speed right by such precious words without a second thought.

To think that God lavishes his love on us - how many of us would use that word to describe how we think God acts towards us? I know that I would not have naturally chosen such a word - not that I thought that God was stingy with his love, but perhaps it is best captured by being "appropriate" in His love. I could see perhaps how God could love us the way we all love those distant relatives who are obnoxious and self-centered, yet still part of the family. Or perhaps that God would love us, but not want to "spoil" us or go overboard in his public display of affection. But instead, John tells us that God lavishes his love on us - he pours it out overflowing, uninhibited, and unashamed. Someone brought up the illustration they read about the frosting on a cake - most of us would put a moderate amount, maybe more than is absolutely necessary to cover the surface, but still a "reasonable" amount. But to "lavish" icing is to take multiple containers and just put it on as thick as you can, with no regard to cost, "normal cakes," or the mess it makes. To think that we are like the cake sitting there with God pouring out his love upon us is truly beyond explanation. None of us deserve it, and none of us can reciprocate it.

For God to do such a thing for me - a great sinner, blind to my own need, dead in ability to desire God, and deserving only of punishment - well, who can reject such love? Especially when your rejection of it does not lessen it. Instead, God loves you so much as to change you from the inside, to change your desires, to change who you are so that you do see, dimly perhaps, but seeing Him nonetheless as desirable.

What does this great love do for us? Nothing less than change our identity. No longer are we Americans or Germans, or Ethiopians, or computer programmers, or teachers, or sinners, or thieves, or liars - no, instead we are "children of God!" This is not the abused phrase that people sometimes use in reference to humanity in general, but of something far more personal. We now become adopted into God's family! He becomes our identity, our defining point. No longer are we those other things we use to designate ourselves - we are children of God, co-heirs with Christ, one day to be made like Him when we see Him. Everything else becomes something secondary - I am no longer an American, but a "little Christ" who happens to live in America. I am no longer a liar, but a "Christian" who sometimes stumbles into lying. I am no longer a teacher, but a Child of God skillfully disguised as one who teaches. I am His.

Who am I to be called a child of God? No one. Less than no one - I should be called an enemy of God. But God has lavished his love upon me and so I am now His child. Nothing can change that. And my dad isn't finished with me, but knows the plans he has for me. One day, though, I'll be like Him.