God's Love for Humans.

I praise you, O my God, I give you glory for ever. Myself I look on with scorn and place at your feet, in the depths of my nothingness. Look, Lord, you are the Saint of the saints, and I but a filthy sinner; you bend down to me, because I am not worthy to lift my gaze toward you. Yes, you come to me; you want to be with me; you invite me to your feast. Thomas A Kempis, IV.2.2-3

God makes the rivers to flow. They tire not, nor do they cease from flowing. May the river of my life flows into the sea of love that is the Lord. May I overcome my impediments in my course. May the thread of my song be not cut before my life merges in the sea of love. Guard me against all danger, O Lord. Accept me graciously, O King of Kings. Release me from my sorrows, which hold me as ropes hold a calf. I cannot open my eyes without the power of your love. Guard us against the grief that haunts the life of the selfish. Lead us from darkness into light. We will sing of your love as it was sung of old. Your laws change not, but stand like mountains. Forgive me all the mistakes I have committed. Many mornings will dawn upon as again. Guide us through them all, O Lord of love. Rig Veda, II, 28:4-9

In times of trouble he will shelter me; he will keep me safe in his Temple and make me secure on a high rock. Ps 27:5

Your unfailing love is better than life; therefore I shall sing your praises. Thus all my life I bless you; in your name I lift my hands in prayer. I follow you closely and your right hand upholds me. Ps 63:3,4,8

Close your heart to every love but mine, hold no one in arms but me. Love is as powerful as death; passion as strong as death itself. It bursts into flame and burns like a raging fire. Song of Songs, 8:6

If only you would enkindle me with the fire of your presence, consume me with those flames, change me into yourself! So, by the grace of that inward union, that melting away beneath the heat of burning love, you and I would become a single spirit. (...) ... you are that fire that is ever blazing and never burning low, the love that cleanses the heart and brings light to the understanding. Thomas A Kempis, Imitation of Christ, IV.16.3

Offer yourself to me and give yourself wholly to God; what you offer will be accepted. You know that I (Jesus) offered myself entirely to the Father for your sake; I gave the whole of my body and my blood to be your food, so that I might be wholly yours and you mine forever. Thomas A Kempis, Imitation of Christ, IV.8.2

Left to myself, I am but nothing, a mere mass of weakness; the moment you look upon me, I at once become strong and filled with fresh joy. Your raising me so speedily, embracing me so tenderly, overwhelms me with amazement, seeing that the weight of my own sinfulness is always dragging me downward. It is your love that brings this about, freely forestalling me and coming to my help in my countless needs, guarding me from grave dangers and snatching me away, as I am bound to confess, from evils past reckoning. Thomas A Kempis, Imitation of Christ, III.8.1-2

Bless the Lord, my soul, and forget none of his benefits. He satisfies me with all good in the prime of life, and my youth is renewed like an eagle's. The days of a mortal are as grass; he blossoms like a wild flower in the meadow: a wind passes over him, and he is gone, and his place knows him no more. But the Lord's love is for ever on those who fear him, and his righteousness on their posterity. Ps 103: 2,5,15-17

O Son of Being! Thy Paradise is My love; thy heavenly home, reunion with Me. Enter therein and tarry not. This is that which hath been destined for thee in Our kingdom above and Our exalted dominion. Baha'u'llah, The Hidden Words, 6.

O Son of Being! My love is My stronghold; he that entereth therein is safe and secure, and he that turneth away shall surely stray and perish. O Son of Utterance! Thou art My stronghold; enter therein that thou mayest abide in safety. My love is in thee, know it, that thou mayest find Me near unto thee. Baha'u'llah, The Hidden Words, 9, 10.

O Son of Spirit! I created thee rich, why dost thou bring thyself down to poverty? Noble I made thee, wherewith dost thou abase thyself? Out of the essence of knowledge I gave thee being, why seekest thou enlightment from anyone beside Me? Out of the clay of love I created thee, how dost thou busy thyself, with another? Turn thy sight unto thyself, that thou mayest find Me standing within thee, mighty, powerful and self-subsisting. Baha'u'llah, The Hidden Words, 13.

The Lord is always ready to accomplish all the tasks of His devotees. He never forgets His devotees even for a moment nor remains away from them. His attention is directed towards them and whatever desire is expressed by them is fulfilled by Him instantly. He keeps a constant watch over their welfare all the time but pure love is the price one must pay to attain Him. Shanti Vachan Bhandar, 965.

On the path of 'Bhakti' when we put one step forward, the Lord takes ten steps towards us. This is the law of Nature. Hence with a little effort, we can win the Lord's infinite grace. Shanti Vachan Bhandar, 1603.

You will not remain worthy of Lord's Pure Love if you are attached to any object. Shanti Vachan Bhandar, 1988.

Lord's love not only purifies one's soul but also destroys the physical ailments. Shanti Vachan Bhandar, 2046.

His principle is service to humanity without expectation of reward. Teachings of Babaji, P.20.

One whom God loves is victorious in all spheres of life. Teachings of Babaji, P.24.

Jesus replied: If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him and make our home with him. John 14:23

As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love. John 15:9-10

Father, (...) I have made your name known to them and will continue to make it known, so that the love which you loved me may be in them, and so that I may be in them. John 17:26

Yes! God is Love and precisely for this He gave His Son, to reveal Himself completely as Love. Christ is the One who "loved ... to the end" (Jn 13:1). "To the end" means to the last breath. "To the end" means accepting all the consequences of man's sin, taking it upon Himself. John Paul II, Crossing the Threshold of Hope, P.66.

......Let us try to grasp the significance of the Word made flesh.  The Greek New Testament word for flesh is sarxSarx means the human condition - the incomplete, unevolved, immature levels of human consciousness.  It means human nature in its subjection to sinfulness. Jesus did not merely assume a human body and soul;  he assumed the actual human condition in its entirety, including the instinctual needs of human nature and the cultural conditioning of his time.........It is the human condition committed to biological survival for its own sake or for the sake of the clan, tribe, nation or race.......'The Word was made
flesh' signifies that by taking the human condition upon himself with all its consequences, Jesus introduced into the entire human family the principle of transcendence, giving the evolutionary process a decisive thrust toward God-consciousness."   Keating, Thomas.  The Mystery of Christ:  The Liturgy As Spiritual Experience. PP.25-26.

It is the revelation not only that God is Love but also the One who "pours out love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit" (cf. Rom 5:5). John Paul II, Crossing the Threshold of Hope, P.66-67.

For out of all his flock he has lovingly chosen you to be one of his special friends. He has led you to sweet meadows and nourished you with love (…). The Cloud of Unknowing, P.47.

When God loves, He loves with all His Being, with all the power of His Being. If God has loved me in this way, how should I respond - I, His spouse? Faustina Kowalska, The Diary, 392.

What sages sought they have found at last. No more questions have they to ask of life. With self-will extinguished, they are at peace. Seeing the Lord of Love in all around, serving the Lord of Love in all around, they are united with him forever. Mundaka Upanishad 3:2:5, P.117. Found in: Mysticism in World Religions.

(...) this Lord of ours is so anxious that we should desire Him and strive after His companionship that He calls us ceaselessly, time after time, to approach Him; and this voice of His is so sweet that the poor soul is consumed with grief at being unable to do His bidding immediately; and thus, as I say, it suffers more than if it could not hear Him. St. Theresa of Avila.  Interior Castle.

Our spiritual attitude, our way of seeking peace and perfection, depends entirely on our concept of God.  If we are able to believe he is truly our loving Father, if we can really accept the truth of his infinite and compassionate concern for us, if we believe that he loves us not because we are worthy but because we need his love, then we can advance with confidence.  We will not be discouraged by our inevitable weaknesses and failures.  We can do anything he asks of us.  But if we believe he is a
stern, cold lawgiver who has no real interest in us, who is merely a ruler, a lord, a judge and not a father, we will have great difficulty in living the spiritual life.  We must therefore begin by believing God is our Father: otherwise we cannot face the difficulties of the Christian way of perfection.  Without faith, the "narrow way" is utterly impossible. Merton, Thomas.  Life and Holiness. P.31. Submitted to L-Center Discussion Group by  Gary Horn mailto:ghorn@uswest.com

(…) I desire to draw you ever closer to Jesus and His wounded heart that you might be able to comprehend the immeasurable love which gave itself for each one of you. Therefore, dear children, pray that from your heart would flow a fountain of love to every person both to the one who hates you and to the one who despises you. That way you will be able through Jesus' love to overcome all the misery in this world of sorrows (…) Our Lady of Medjugorie, November 25, 1991. Words from Heaven, P.264.

(…) Therefore, dear children, open yourselves completely to me so that I may be able to lead you more and more to the marvelous love of God, the Creator, who reveals Himself to you day by day. (…) Our Lady of Medjugorie, August 25, 1992. Words from Heaven, P.268.

Perhaps the greatest "evil" of the holocaust is its effect on the hearts of later generations, causing so many to doubt or deny the reality of God's love.  I have come to understand that the all-pervading light which permeates the universe is not a theological speculation but an empirical Reality, verified by direct observation via the awakened senses ( in the terminology of St. Bonaventure, the "eye of contemplation"). The fundamental nature of this radiance is unconditional love of excruciating beauty and majesty (also an empirical reality).  It is within this field of radiant love that we live and breathe and have our being- i.e. the mystics assert that this love brings the universe into being.  It also appears that essentially all major religions recognize this all-pervading love and associate it with the radiance of the One source of all existence. We can then say that at the heart of all major religions is the endeavor to awaken humanity to the reality of this love of the One and same Source of all.  It also widely recognized that through awakening to this love we can become a channel for God's love and compassion in the world, which is the highest form of service that we can offer.(...). Our conceptual formulations will not help us in this case, the only solution is to immerse ourselves in the ocean of love. Thomas P Maxwell. Posting to the L-Center Discussion Group, June 20, 2001.

Never give anything preference before God! His love is the greatest love there is. So long as you let other things come first, He will wait. But your delay may be too long, and your suffering may be great. Don't procrastinate! (...). Don't rest, don't give up until you can see Him with your own eyes, or feel Him in your heart. Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.28.

God's judgement of the world is primarily and essentially his love, which is poured out with such extravagant generosity that whoever fails to respond to it is simply self-condemned by contrast. Alan Watts, Behold The Spirit.

Why we are made to feel love for our family members, only to watch them slip away, one by one? These events take place to help us realize that it is He who is loving us behind all loved ones. Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.181.

(...) he who refused to be gently ruled by God is ruled harshly by himself, and he who freely threw off the sweet and light yoke of love unwillingly bears the unbearable burden of his own self-will. St. Bernardine, De Diligendo Deo, quoted in: Merton, Diaries. P.353.

In the ancient days, when the first quiver of speech came to my lips, I ascended the holy mountain and spoke unto God, saying, "Master, I am thy slave. Thy hidden will is my law and I shall obey thee for ever more." But God made no answer, and like a mighty tempest passed away. And after a thousand years I ascended the holy mountain and again spoke unto God, saying, "Creator, I am thy creation. Out of clay hast thou fashioned me and to thee I owe mine all." And God made no answer, but like a thousand swift wings passed away. And after a thousand years I climbed the holy mountain and spoke unto God again, saying, "Father, I am thy son. In pity and love thou hast given me birth, and through love and worship I shall inherit thy kingdom." And God made no answer, and like the mist that veils the distant hills he passed away. And after a thousand years I climbed the sacred mountain and again spoke unto God, saying, "My God, my aim and my fulfilment; I am thy yesterday and thou art my tomorrow. I am thy root in the earth and thou art my flower in the sky, and together we grow before the face of the sun." Then God leaned over me, and in my ears whispered words of sweetness, and even as the sea that enfolded a brook that runneth down to her, he enfolded me. And when I descended to the valleys and the plains God was there also. From Gibran's The Madman

I have the immense joy of being man, a member of a race in which God Himself became incarnate. (...) There is no way of telling people that they are all walking around shining like the sun. Thomas Merton, Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander, P.157.

God is asking of me, the unworthy, to forget my unworthiness and that of all my brothers, and dare to advance in the love, which has redeemed and renewed us all in God's likeness. Thomas Merton, Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander, P.174.

God created human nature a partaker of every divine blessing, able to contemplate spiritually the angelic choirs, the splendour of the dominions, the spiritual powers, principalities and authorities, the unapproachable light, and the refulgent glory. Abba Philimon (VI-VII Century C.E.), quoted in: (1981). The Philokalia. Vol. II., P.350.

Today I saw an unusual russet bird gliding effortlessly for all the time I could see it. I thought of it as of myself in this time, gliding effortlessly on the mercy and love of God, free from all care and effort, just moving along with his grace. It seems almost too good to be true. The trouble is with us that we don't accept and believe that wonderful bargain that the good Jew, our Saviour, struck for us - a hundredfold in this life and life eternal, too. Pennington, Basil. (1978). O Holy Mountain! Journal of a Retreat on Mount Athos. P.25. OGN #573.

As we go about our daily doings, often not explicitly mindful of him, he is looking down on us with love, blessing us, very pleased with us as we do ordinary everyday things for him. We are far more loved and cared for than we can ever realize or appreciate. Pennington, Basil. (1978). O Holy Mountain! Journal of a Retreat on Mount Athos. P.87.

Maybe if I brought the moon a little closer lovers would argue less. They might hold hands outside and point to the heavens and say, “I think God is up to something sweet!” Rabia (c.717-801), quoted in: Ladinsky Daniel (2002). Love Poems from God. Twelve Sacred Voices from the East and West. P.13.

Such love does the sky now pour, that whenever I stand in a field, I have to wring out the light when I get home. St. Francis of Assisi (1182-1226), quoted in: Ladinsky Daniel (2002). Love Poems from God. Twelve Sacred Voices from the East and West. P.48.

God’s admiration for us is infinitely greater than anything we can conjure up for Him. St. Francis of Assisi (1182-1226), quoted in: Ladinsky Daniel (2002). Love Poems from God. Twelve Sacred Voices from the East and West. P.49.


Last updated: 2013/04/28

See the related subjects: Grace, Human Love for God, Incarnations, Kingdom, Mercy, Providence

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