For many years of my life I lived with doubt that God truly loved me. I felt that any failure or shortcoming on my part would effect the love that came to me from God, the Father.
I felt that the love God gave was merit based. The church I grew up in had a long list of do’s and don’ts. As a teenager and young twenty year old, I failed continually no matter how hard I tried. I almost came to the point that I gave up on trying to live a Christian life.
Somewhere in the back of my mind was this gnawing feeling that I was misunderstanding God’s love. I mean, my mom and dad loved me. I knew that and never doubted it. Even when I messed up, I always knew they loved me. Why would God be any different? In my thinking, His love should be greater than what I received from my earthly parents. Things just didn’t measure up. I was so frustrated!
Fast forward eight to ten years.
Dave and I were at a Cowboy Cathedral and we heard the preacher say that God’s love was unconditional. We can’t earn and we can’t lose it! WOW!! That word was sent straight from heaven to my heart.
But…could he back that up with Scripture? Yes, yes he did.
“From far away, the Lord will appear to his people. The Lord says, “I love you people with a love that continues forever. That is why I have continued showing you kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3 ERV
“When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.” Romans 5:6-9 NLT
Do you see that? God’s love for us continues forever. When we were at our worst Christ died for us because God wanted to show us how much He loves us. Amen!
Let that sink in – He loved us at our worst and His love will continue forever!
When this revelation of God’s love got passed my religious thinking and sank deep into my heart all my doubts about God’s love were gone. There is nothing I enjoy more than telling people about God’s love. Nothing better than that.
Most of the time when I think about how much the Father loves me (and you too) my heart overflows with so much gratitude that my eyes spill over with tears.
The Father’s love for you and me is forever – that’s a very, very, very long time!