When we think of God, we might sometimes (or all of the time) think of a grumpy old man who is mad at us for something we did. While the Bible uses the word fear to refer to a general sense of respect and awe, there’s also the more common use of the word: terror and intimidation. The good news of Jesus, however, broke new ground in divine-human relations. Because only now through Jesus can we be both filled with awe at his greatness, and experience a beautiful, warm, intimate relationship with the God of the universe. This opens new landscapes for our lives, and in how we treat one another.

When you love someone, you want what’s best for them. God’s love means he accepts and adores us just as we are. But God’s love also means he wants us to grow. Our spiritual growth is almost always challenging, but the nature of God’s involvement in that process is a reality that will encourage and empower us to change, and be more of who we deep down really want to be.

"I love my wife. I love my kids. I love college basketball. I love brick-oven pizza with a slightly-burned crust. We’ve all heard the phrase “God loves you,” but it’s hard to know what that means in a world where “love” has so many meanings. When we love someone, we want the best for them. But how far are we willing to go to get it for them? When we were his enemies, God was willing to switch places with us. Contrary to what some might say about the Gospel, this message is everything the world needs right now."