The Love of God - Part 1
The amazing thing about God’s love is that we can’t earn it, and we can’t make Him love us any more than He already does. We don’t fully understand the love of God, but it’s the best thing in this life, and the one to come. When we search the Scriptures that tell us of His love, our understanding grows. When we get to know the God of the Bible, we can better understand the love of God - not expecting love as it is depicted in movies and books, but the truth of what love really is.
I believe the reason we struggle to grasp the truth of God’s love is that we give God our human characteristics and tendencies. We struggle to love when someone doesn’t show love to us, so we assume God does, too. He doesn’t. He doesn’t base His love on what we do or don’t do. His love for us is unconditional and complete. We know these truths in our minds, but too often they haven’t reached the understanding of our hearts.
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? . . . No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels or 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.”
Sometimes we don’t feel God’s love because He didn’t respond to a circumstance in our lives the way we wanted Him to. But God loves outside of our feelings. Because love is His nature, God can’t act in any other way. His love isn’t indulgence, as ours often is. God loves us through difficult circumstances when hard things are needed to teach us how to draw near to Him in obedience.
God’s love is beyond our comprehension, but we can see it everywhere we look if we just take time to do so. The sunrise and sunset display God’s love to us daily. God’s love is expressed to us in all of nature, along with the laughter of a child, and the answer to our prayers. His love is displayed in the provision of food, shelter and clothing, the love of family and friends, and the beauty of music. God shows us His love in tangible and intangible ways. We must learn to take time to notice it.
Although we cannot fully comprehend the love of God, we can look at the life and death of Jesus to know the lengths God has gone in order to love us. Because of the great love of God in the gift of His Son to us, we are able to allow our words and deeds to reflect God’s love to those around us. However, unless we allow the Spirit to love others through us, those we encounter daily who are easy to love, and those who are difficult to love will not see the truth of God’s love in us. Our daily walk with Christ can shine the love of God in our words or actions. If our actions don’t back up our words, we look like liars when we tell others of the God who loves them. When we allow the Spirit to live through us, people see the love of God lived out.
As we experience God’s love, let’s not keep it to ourselves, but share the immeasurable gift of love God has for each of His creation. If you struggle to understand God’s love for you, pray and ask Him for clarity and understanding from the truth found in God’s Word.
Composer Frederick Lehman wrote a love song to God. The words can help us picture God’s love for us - the why, the how, and the Who. When we read, or sing these words, we become overwhelmed with God’s love for us. As you contemplate the love God has for you, listen to the song, The Love of God by Frederick Lehman. Link Here or the version by Selah HERE. It’s was recorded by Selah, Mercy Me, and The Worship Initiative. Read through the words and hear what they say about the vastness, sweetness, and comprehensiveness of God’s love for you. Worship Him!
-by Jeanie Gainey, Deacon of Women’s Ministry