God's love is shockingly good!

My friend and brother in Christ, Chad, who’s currently studying for the priesthood, sent me along this brief reflection from Hans von Balthasar, a Catholic theologian who lived 1905-1988:

"The first thing that must strike a non-Christian about the Christian's faith is that it obviously presumes far too much. It is too good to be true: the mystery of being, revealed as absolute love, condescending to wash his creatures' feet, and even their souls, taking upon himself all the confusion of guilt, all the God-directed hatred, all the accusations showered upon him with cudgels, all the disbelief that arrogantly covers up what he had revealed, all the mocking hostility that once and for all nailed down his inconceivable movement of self-abasement - in order to pardon his creature, before himself and the world."

I read this again today and I am so thankful for theologians like Balthasar that, in two sentences, can come close to capturing Jesus’ supreme love for humanity.

-snip-

And this was exactly the message of this past week’s Discovering Christ course. It focused on how Jesus came to reveal the love of God the Father. It was a good session for me – but I’ve heard it many times and it was time for a real-life lesson in His very personal love for me...

So I’m all excited to go camping on Saturday afternoon/evening – to meet up with my close friends out in Western MD for an evening and a day out in God’s creation.  My friend joined me as we attempted to rendezvous with them.  

Until my car broke down :(  Not cool at all. In fact standing on the side of Rt. 70 in the early evening in the summer sun – looking over an overheated car was anything but cool.  

We pray for Jesus to heal the car.  Nope. But provision does come:

1. My wife, coincidentally, is heading the same direction with a friend that evening. The moment I call, they pass us by... Go to a gas station, get antifreeze and deliver to us.
2. This ends up not working. My car doesn’t get healed...
3. Then a tow truck suddenly shows up as my wife pulls away to pick up another broken down car 50 yds behind me. We appeal to the guy to help, he calls the other customer (whose car had been out there for over a week), and asks if his car can be delayed so he can help us... We wait... Yes!  So we get an immediate tow.  I tell the tow driver He’s “answered prayer”
4. We show up at a local car shop – which closes at 6pm – it is 8:30pm – everything looks open though. I go up to the front, it is locked. A guy comes out and decides to help me – he is very gracious - and has me come in the side door to get everything settled... At which point I see a sign on the wall, “quote of the day, ‘with God nothing is impossible.’” Awesome :)
5. Rings me up, no problem, I tell the two car mechanics, they are “answered prayer” and the Lord is looking out for me
6. Sunday, I find out, my car might be shot... Though I find out more later today... Pretty upsetting as it is my beloved 1989 chevy cavalier station wagon from my grandfather... The Floydmobile.  
7. Sunday evening my parents unexpectedly take my wife and I out to dinner- nice – and tell me we’re getting a very generous posthumous wedding gift ($) from my grandmother by the end of the week.  Wow, again, I know in my heart His very personal love.
   

This was just an amazing 48hrs where I got to see God does care about the particulars of my life, His love is very personal, and is watching over me. And even if my 89’ cavalier doesn’t resurrect I know He did - for me. And that is pretty amazing. Thank you Lord Jesus.

Has God shown you His personal love for you lately?