There is a poignant passage at the beginning of Romans 9. Paul was thinking of his friends, his family and all his people. The prospect of them being lost and not sharing in the joy of salvation and the freedom from the burden of the law spurred him to write, “I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race. . .”
The more we become like Jesus the more our capacity for love grows. Love is not stagnant. It is a living vibrant part of us that cares for and reaches out to those about us. It is possible, as it was with Paul, that when we consider the prospect of not having our children and grandchildren with us in heaven, our love for them would mirror Paul’s feelings in Romans 9. The more we love the more we would be willing to give up heaven for the surety that our loved ones would have it.
The good news is not only is this impossible but also not necessary. First of all, it is an indication of how much we value Jesus and our loved ones. The very fact that we feel this way indicates our growth into His likeness. Jesus could not bear not having such persons with Him. The more we love the more we become like Him and the more we become like Him the more we love. It is a marvelously upward spiral. Secondly, Jesus loves our loved ones even more than we and He is already doing everything possible to woo them into joining us.
Blessed is the person who has such love and has people they love that much.
Spring Of Life