Demonstrated Affection
John 16:27 CEB
The Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and believed that I came from God.
The night before He died, Jesus told His disciples that the Father loved them. The word “love” here does not denote a dutiful concern or a self-forgetful, sacrificial devotion. It carries the sense of “demonstrated affection”—love that’s full of warmth and openly shown.
This is so important for us to grasp. The Father’s love is not a dutiful or a formal love, like the world sees love today. No, the sense of Jesus’ words here is that “The Father loves you deeply, dearly and demonstrably.” This is seen when He send His one only son to die for the sins of the world while still in our sins (Rom.5:8).
What a great love this is! So many earthly fathers are distant, either physically or emotionally. This is not so with our Heavenly Father; when Jesus died and rose again, He ascended to Heaven and from there poured out the Holy Spirit upon His followers. He filled His disciples so full of the Spirit of adoption that they began to cry out “Father!” From that moment on, they knew the Father loved them with a demonstrated affection—with His strong and comforting arms of love. This is what Jesus wants for us too.
We must build up the consciousness to know this in our hearts, not just in our heads. Let’s experience the Father’s demonstrated affection.
CONFESSION
Thank Father for love wherewith you loved me
I stay conscious of this truth
I am loved.
Amen!
