As we approach another Valentine’s Day we are reminded by the endless commercials for diamonds and perfume to buy something for those we love.
More important than that (yes, ladies, more important), we also should be reminded that we are loved so much by the God of Heaven.
How does He love us? How is it that we, sinful humanity, could be the recipient of so much affection? How is that He even cares enough about us who are so small and insignificant compared to Him, that He would even think about loving us? Do we love a microbe? Do we love ants or fleas? Those don’t even properly compare to the difference between man and his God. And yet He is mindful of us and desires a relationship with us (Psalm 8). He does so, despite the fact that we are a people who have gone away into wickedness (1 John 5:19) and sin (Romans 3:23). Yet He loves us. How? Let us count the ways…
He loves us unconditionally.
Never do we have to worry about crossing a point of no return. Never do we have to worry about going a bridge too far and being told “Go on and don’t come back.” That’s not to say that He won’t still punish us if we are spiritually separated from Him; His Holy nature demands that He punish the unholy. Yet His Nature is also one of love (1 John 4:8). It is because of that love…that unconditional love…that we can be certain, no matter how many times we make a mistake, God will always welcome us home.
Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
Luke 15:10
He loves us unworthily.
Yet again we contemplate our own sinfulness. We do not deserve the love of God. And yet, He not only loves us, He is described as actually being “fond” of us. In Titus 3:4, Paul writes that Jesus came because of the “kindness and love of God.” That word “love” is “philanthropia” (from which we get our English word “philanthropist”). The word means “to be fond of.” God really likes us. He wants to be around us. He made us afterall! And yet, we sinned and should have ruined the goodfeelings He had toward us. That we didn’t is a testament to His incredible love:
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8
He loves us unbendingly.
How do I know God’s love is unconditional? How can I be sure that there won’t come a day when He ceases to find worth in loving me? I have proof in the form of Jesus Christ. His love is so eternally-set in stone that if He ever were to cease loving us He would not have commanded His Son to die for us. The ultimate ultimate sacrifice of Christ is proof-positive that God’s love will never break. It won’t even bend.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16
I’m thankful for God’s love, aren’t you?
Have a great day!
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