Have you ever ask yourself – Why would God love me!? Why would He take the time, the effort to save me, provide for me in every area of my life… love me? And then look at all He continues to do… and if I were the only one, He would do it all, just for me! My heart and mind are in awe that He and His Son, Jesus, would develop a plan to bring us all (no one is eliminated, exempt) out of the fall and back into relationship. The reality is that He would, He did, He continues to do, and that He always will do.
But how do I know He loves – me? Every word in His Word is filled with love, with all that He has planned… and how I can live and act from His love. Plus, there are three proofs of His love. First, from all He’s already done – He always had a plan for restoration and also a place and role just for me. Next, from all that He continues to do to give me an abundant life. And lastly, that He has made the only way to Heaven. I won’t have to endure the torments, I will be Home.
At some point we eventually realize that we never will be able to repay. We also understand, on some level, that we do not deserve God’s love and care. Yet… through His Word He continues to tell us of His equipping, enabling – so that we can not just exist but live the abundant life. We do not need to live in fear or lack or fall for any other stumbling stone. However, I also believe He never wants us to stay the same. He wants us to grow so we can become all that He has planned for us. To me, the single and only gift I can give in return for all that He does is to become the best me I can be. And even in that I need Him in order to do this (John 15: 4-11)
I think that this is the time that the devil does his best to convince us that we aren’t redeemable, we are so cursed that we would never be accepted. I may even have committed the unpardonable sin! And… he reminds us of what we’ve done! I know what I’ve done (or not done), what I’ve said (or not said), and how I’ve acted. So how can I even hope that God could still love me? He can. He does. He gives us one of the best gifts… a way back into relationship when we do those things we shouldn’t (1 John 1:8)
When we don’t act on our ‘get outta jail card’ in 1 John we cripple ourselves. Part of the problem with this thinking is that we are buying into a lie. Let’s face it, the devil never wants us to be saved and realize how much we have because we accepted the invitation provided through Jesus, If we do act on the invitation, he will still attempt to thwart us because he really doesn’t want us fruitful and effective.
If you ever wonder if God loves you. Open His Word and you WILL know. He tells us in so many ways and displays His love for us, each, individually. He writes our names in the palms of His hands (Isaiah 49:16), He provides a way to relationship through Jesus (John 14:6), He loved and loves us so much that Jesus gave His life and rose again so that we could experience eternal life (John 3:16) – and those verses only begin to demonstrate and tell us of His wonderous love for us. And miracle of miracles, all we have to do is to accept His invitation in order to partake and become part of His family.
It’s always been all about us. And when we share who Jesus is and how He’s impacted our lives with others, whether we sow the seed, water it, or harvest it – we are part of what the Lord wants for us because we are acting and sharing His love for everyone. At some point you will have to put aside your pride (because that’s truly what stops us from accepting His love, even when we accept His invitation) and fall into His arms of love knowing He will always catch us. He loves YOU, unconditionally!
