December 1, 2017 Brethren Letter
Dear Brethren,
Yesterday, I officiated at the funeral service for my dad, Robert (Bob) Liebold. I’ve conducted many funeral services over the years, but this was one of the more difficult ones, since it was my father. I’m human. My dad now awaits his resurrection. He loved his family, and his family loved him.
In the newspaper, I read the name of another man (age seventy-eight), who died a few days before my dad. Now, it’s very common to see surviving family member’s names listed at the end of an obituary. However, for this man, instead of names, the following words were written, “No family has come forward.” It’s hard to know why no family had come forward at the end of this man’s life. Perhaps he had no family, or maybe contact had been lost for some reason. Possibly, his family had rejected him. There’s no way of knowing. But, one thing for certain, God sure loved him.
I was also reading a comment someone had written on a web page a few years ago which asked the question, “Am I the only person who feels like God forgot to love them?” Once again, I can assure this person that God has NEVER forgotten to love them. He has a plan for their future. They’ve not been overlooked.
For some in this world, it may seem like no one (not even God), has love for them. However, that’s not the case. We read the following in the Book of Hebrews…
(6) But one testified in a certain place, saying: “What is man that You are mindful of him, Or the son of man that You take care of him? (7) You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And set him over the works of Your hands. (8) You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. (9) But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. (10) For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. (11) For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, (Hebrews 2:6-11)
In the book of I John we see the very nature of God is LOVE. “…for God is love” (I John 4:8). Love emanates from Him through all that He has created, and in all that He has planned.
Here are some other scriptures that show God’s love for us:
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
(6) For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (7) For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. (8) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)
(29) Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground unless your Father wills it. (30) The very hairs on your head are all numbered; (31) fear not, then, you are worth far more than sparrows! (Matthew 10:29-31 MOFF)
(16) And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. (17) Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. (18) There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. (19) We love Him because He first loved us. (I John 4:16-19)
Please have a wonderful Sabbath, Brethren!
Your Brother in Christ,
Gary Liebold