God loves you no matter what.
You are the treasure of His heart.
He accepts you as you are.
He is pleased with you.
Nothing can separate you from His love.
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)
It’s important to try to understand how much God loves you.
Paul said God’s love surpasses knowledge, and he prayed for us to be given supernatural power just to be able to comprehend it. (Ephesians 3:17-19)
And in John 17:23, Jesus prayed for us to understand that God loves us just as much as God loved Him.
So What Is Love?
If you’ve been to a wedding recently, 1 Corinthians 13 probably comes to mind. You know… “love is patient, love is kind,” but these are only the characteristics of love.
The definition of love is found in 1 John 4:10.
This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins. 1 John 4:10 (AMP)
Love is not our love for God. Love is God’s love for us.
His love for us is unconditional and never-ending.
If you grew up thinking God was mad at you or if you were taught that you had to be and act a certain way to earn God’s favor, let me tell you nothing could be further from the truth.
God’s Love Is Perfect Love
It is not based on what you do or don’t do.
Take my children for example. There’s nothing Austin or Ashtyn could do to lose my affection.
My love for them is not based on what they do. It’s based on who they are – they are my children. They are my favorites!
I am overwhelmed when I think about how my love for my children is nothing compared to God’s love for me.
My love is so small when put up next to God’s love for us.
Two Things Happen When You Focus On God’s Love For You
First, all your fears will begin to dissipate because perfect love casts out fear. (1 John 4:18)
This is what the Bible calls a peace that surpasses all understanding. (Philippians 4:7)
Second, you’ll find that it’s easier to love others when you know that God loves you.
“We love because God first loved us.” 1 John 4:19 (NIV)
Of course, there’s one thing you can always count on, and that’s God’s love for you.
So if you find yourself fearing for your family, your finances, your health or if you find yourself afraid of what the future holds, just pause and think about His love.
I desire to love like God loves me….somedays are easier than others but everyday as God gives me more love and grace…I begin to give more love and grace too.
Angie, I love your comments! You always have something amazing to share!
Pastor Nicole,
I love this thought that I am God’s Beloved.Great truth for me to walk in today.
I’m glad you loved it, Debbie! Thanks for letting me know!
Amen to that Pastor Nicole. I was taught growing up that if I ate meat on Friday or missed mass on Sunday or had impure thoughts it was a mortal sin and I was going to hell. Had to confess to a priest and do penance. Thank you God that when I became an adult I was delivered from that way of thinking. Faith church continues to reinforce that I am on the right track towards Christian behavior and that I can tell God that I am sorry all by myself! Thank you for your blogs 🙂
That’s great, Carol!
Great conversations have existed throughout time about this subject. What s love ? To me love is kind words and simple deeds. Its the feeling of wholeness. I think that wholeness exists because of our relationship with the Lord. It’s a simple calm . Love is the light that dances when the flame has gone out. Thank you for my area of focus today. Love you Pastor Nicole.
Jackie Blaha
“Love is the light that dances when the flame has gone out.” I love that, Jackie!