Do you know God loves you? It doesn’t matter if you believe it; it doesn’t even matter if you believe God exists at all. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) Not willing that He should destroy us for our sin (as would be just), and desiring that we should have reconciliation with Him (though He was not obligated), He took upon Himself our punishment, that justice should be maintained in mercy. Nor is this the only manner in which His love is exhibited; for he is before all things, and in him all things hold together (Colossians 1:17); our initial and continued existence is under His care, every moment a testament to His grace.
But mayhaps you’ve heard all this before. Those who disbelieve are unlikely to be convinced by mere assertion, though God may use it as He pleases, and may He be glorified therein. More surprising are those who acknowledge the truth of God’s love in passive manner. Even amongst those who have been made partakers of saving grace there occasionally may be found apathy toward the magnitude of His redemptive efforts. Such is the fickleness of man, for we tend to cool in our passions over time, struggling with our commitments and long-term investment.
The love of God is central to the Gospel, and indeed to the character of God Himself. This truth is repeatedly emphasized throughout Scripture, and the Church would do well to continue the testimony. That God loves each and every one of use ought to be a constant source of joy and rejuvenation, the very foundation of our hope! Let this be the drive of our message to the unbelieving world: that God loves us, and loves them, and desires that all should know Him personally! Let this understanding be the guiding principle of our lives, a source of confidence and a restraint upon our arrogant tendencies.
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this is the love of God made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world, so that w might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and His love is perfected in us.
Reflect upon and be inspired by the love of God. TTT
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