Love Gives and Witholds

Devotional Reading: Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. Romans 5:9 KJV

In 1686, Sir Isaac Newton presented three laws of motion. His third law stated that for each and every action or force, there is an equal and opposite reaction. You might have learned about it in physics. For example, a rocket travelling in space is propelled by fuel pushed backwards out of the rocket in the opposite direction to which it is travelling.

Similar to Newton’s third law, for every action in God, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Let me explain.

Love always gives, but it also always withholds. What love gives and what love withholds are opposite, but they are equally love.

• God gave us His Son and He withheld punishment.
• God gave us mercy and He withheld judgement.
• God gave us life and He withheld death.

Father’s love and grace means that on one hand we receive what we DIDN’T deserve because of His generosity. We receive eternal life when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. On the other hand, God chooses to withhold what we DID deserve – His wrath. God’s incredible love gives eternal life, and withholds eternal separation.

It’s time to thank God for what He gave, but it is also time to thank God for what He withheld. Both are founded in love. Hallelujah!

Prayer and Confession

Thank You, God, for giving Your Son, but also for withholding punishment. I am grateful for Your incredible love and eternal life.

Further Reading – Romans 8, Ephesians 2
Reading Old Testament Bible Stories: 1Kings 6-9