Home
>
Spirituality
>
How Much Do You Love Me?

How Much Do You Love Me?

Love...it's a deep emotion. Sometimes we say it in jest to appease someone. We say it to friends when we feel more than just a casual liking for them, but would we die for them? Spouses say it to eachother out of habit sometimes, parents tell their children, "I love you". Being a parent, I feel this is probably the truest form of love as we know it. Can people really know what it means to have perfect love? God showed us what this kind of love is, He calls it agape' love. There are no boundaries to this love, there are no exceptions and no excuses. Our love tends to wax and wane when someone either pleases us or disappoints us. It's a good thing God doesn't measure His degree of love for us that way. His love never changes even for the child who is disobedient and turns his back on God. Let's look at a man who loved God so much he would do anything.

I want to talk about two parallel loves between two special fathers for their own sons. There was nothing they wouldn't do out of a greater love. What can be greater than the love of a child you might ask? The first love was for God, the second was a love for you and me.

The first father of faith was Abraham. God promised him an inheritance that would out number the stars in the sky. God promised him and his wife Sarah a son to carry on even after they were barren in child bearing years. The promise came true when Sarah was 100, no wonder she laughed at the thought, (Gen 21:6). This was one special kid in history.

"That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply they seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies." Gen.22:17 (KJV)

Even though Isaac was not Abraham's firstborn, he did however represent the heavenly stars that God spoke of. His was the birth of prophecy. The son Abraham had with his slave Hagar was born out of impatience and disobedience to God when Sarah acted out before God's will. This son represents the fleshly inheritance of the sands of the earth. God still honored this son and blessed him with inheritance of a nation. It was Isaac who God had His eyes on. His inheritance was the stars in the heavens that God spoke of. When God speaks of something it always comes to pass. As a result of disobedience to God, Sarah soon learned that if she had just been patient, she would not have created a situation between Abraham and Hagar.

But as time passed, Isaac grew and was considered his father's only son. God came to Abraham and tempted him (Gen. 22:1) and told him to take his "only" son whom he loved and offer him as a burnt offering.

Honestly, how could we even fathom such a request? Do you think you would've responded a bit differently to this commandment? How could God ask such a thing of anyone in the first place? Our response to that would most likely be "No, I won't do it". That's because we are of little faith.

But, Abraham was so faithful to God that he obeyed this command and saddled up his donkey, two other companions and his son Isaac and set out for a three day journey. On the third day Abraham saw the place where he was to sacrifice Isaac. (Have you ever noticed how God does things in sets of three's?) As he saw it, he told the two young men to wait there because he and Isaac were going to worship and would return. (Gen.22:5) I wonder if he knew he would return with Isaac unharmed at this point.

We all know how the story ends. Abraham was ready to sacrifice Isaac and Isaac asked where the lamb was. Abraham told him that God would supply the sacrificial lamb. True to His Word, God gave Abraham His lamb to sacrifice and spare Isaac's life. But because Abraham was faithful, God kept His promise of making Abraham the father of nations, both in heaven and on earth.

The next time we see this kind of sacrificial love is when God's only son Jesus comes to the cross. God already knew the pain that Abraham would have endured had he killed his only son, therefore He rewarded him with the foreshadowing of His own sacrificial lamb, Christ.

We know that Christ was the apple of God's eye. He was His Father's precious and only Son. Just as Abraham loved God, God loves and still loves us enough to sacrifice His only begotten Son in order that we would have eternal life with Him in heaven.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever should believe in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16 (Amplified)

Unlike Abraham, God actually had to experience the heartwrenching agony of seeing His Son tortured and hung on the cross at Calvary. Even He would not put Abraham through such an agonizing experience. God doesn't ask any more of any of us than what He knows we can handle. The only thing He asks that we put to death is our carnal life.

If you think that God doesn't care about you or that you don't care about Him, stop and think of the agape love that He showed when His Son hung with outstretched arms upon that wooden cross. This is the vision of how deep and how wide the love of our Father is when He says, "I love you this much".

If you haven't already given your life to Christ as a thank you for saving yours, perhaps now would be a perfect time. Unless you know of your salvation without a shadow of a doubt, then it's time to stop asking questions and look for the answers that will save your life. Christ is the only way. The strongest bridge ever built was made with 2 pieces of wood and 3 nails. Are you ready to cross over it?

Remember, Christ is always waiting at your door and will come into your life when you invite Him in. Thank God for His agape love today. One size fits all.

Vivian Gordon a follower of Christ and called into the teaching ministry and also a prayer warrior to pray for health and wholeness of body, mind and spirit to those who don't know what they should pray for.

trusted cleaning company Lake Forest ..

In The News:

Mac malware campaign uses fake AI chat results to deliver AMOS through terminal commands, security researchers report. Attackers exploit trust in AI-generated cleanup guides.

States require AI disclosure in healthcare as California, Colorado and Utah implement laws mandating transparency when artificial intelligence influences patient care decisions.

ETA sharing on Apple Maps and Google Maps keeps contacts updated automatically while you drive safely. Learn step-by-step instructions for iPhone and Android.

Data removal from brokers protects against AI-powered scams and deepfake threats in 2026. Learn how data brokers sell your personal information to scammers.

Learn how to act against cybercriminals in 2026 with essential security steps like two-factor authentication, software updates and credit freezing.

Choose between OpenAI releasing Sora text-to-video model, the AI race heating up, or Waymo driverless cars launching in cities across the country

Learn how to set up Google Maps and Apple Maps on your phone to automatically remember where you parked. Step-by-step instructions for enabling location services and parking detection.

Phishing scammers use rnicrosoft.com domain to impersonate Microsoft by replacing "m" with "rn" in typosquatting attacks that steal login credentials.

OpenAI announces new teen safety rules for ChatGPT users under 18, blocking romantic roleplay and requiring extra caution on body image topics.

A 2025 data breach at fintech company 700Credit exposes personal information of more than 5.8 million people through compromised third-party integration partner.

Retailers lose $76.5 billion annually to return fraud as nearly 10% of U.S. retail returns involve fraudulent activity, with $850 billion in returns expected in 2025.

ShinyHunters claims responsibility for stealing 94GB of Pornhub user data affecting over 200 million records and demands Bitcoin ransom.

ChatGPT 2025 now connects to Apple Music, Canva, Expedia, TripAdvisor and OpenTable through built-in apps that help users create playlists, design graphics and more.

Apple releases emergency patches for two zero-day vulnerabilities actively exploited in attacks. iPhone and iPad users urged to update immediately.

DoorDash launches Zesty, an AI-powered social app that recommends restaurants through conversational search, now testing in San Francisco and New York.

Cybersecurity firm Infoblox reveals that over 90 percent of parked domains now redirect visitors to scams and malware, making simple typos extremely dangerous.

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

GPT-5.2 is now live for all ChatGPT users with improved coding, writing and image interpretation, with Kurt Knutsson offering his review.

New iPhone replacement scam uses pressure tactics and fake carrier calls to steal devices from buyers. Criminals claim shipping errors and demand urgent returns.

Amazon Ring's new facial recognition feature sparks privacy controversy as Electronic Frontier Foundation critics argue the AI upgrade expands surveillance risks.

New Android banking trojan Sturnus steals credentials, reads encrypted messages and controls devices.

Denmark's 3D-printed student village proves automation builds 36 apartments faster than traditional methods. Skovsporet project shows housing future.

Discover Android's new Sound Notifications feature that alerts you to smoke alarms, doorbells, and baby cries even when wearing headphones.

New SantaStealer malware reportedly threatens holiday shoppers with password theft. This Christmas-themed info-stealer targets browsers and crypto wallets.

The Christmas season brings a surge in Netflix phishing scams targeting shoppers with fake emails. Stacey P received convincing scam but verified account first.

How Much Do You Love Me?

Spirituality