In Common with God
Author: Dave ArnoldPaul Gustave Louis Christophe Doré (1832 – 1883) was a French artist. One day, as he was putting the final touches on the face of Christ in one of his paintings, an admiring friend stepped quietly into the studio.
She looked with bated breath at the painting. Doré sensed her presence, and said graciously,
“Pardon, madam; I did not know you were here.” She answered,
“Monsieur Doré, you must love Him very much to be able to paint Him like that!”
“Love Him,” madam?” exclaimed the painter, “I do love Him. But if I loved Him better, I could paint Him better!”1
“We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). “Love” and “loved” are the same Greek word, meaning, “…to have a love that seeks the best good of its object, a love of full loyalty.”
It is the same word Christ used when He said, “Therefore My Father loves Me” (John 10:17).2
“God and I have this in common: we both love His Son, Jesus Christ” (Lance Zavitz).3
1. Pulpit Helps, Chattanooga, TN: AMG International, October 2005, Subject: Loving Our Lord Jesus, “A Passion for Christ,” p. 28 (Practical Illustration – Galatians –Colossians, by Leadership Ministries Worldwide).
2. Word Meanings in the New Testament, Ralph Earle, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., P. O. Box 3473, Peabody, MA, 01961-3473, Copyright 1974, p. 86.
3. Christian Clippings, P. O. Box 3867, Holiday, FL, 34692, October 1995, p. 17.