Let God Love You

God loves us. We try to understand this but struggle to fully grasp it. Sometimes we reject this gift when we need it most.

God expresses His faithful lovingkindness to us in many ways.

God’s Word expresses His love to us.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:11-12 (NIV)

But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children. Psalm 103:17 (NIV)

The life of Jesus demonstrates God’s love for us.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:10

In spite of reading these wonderful verses, we struggle to believe and accept the truth. We make up excuses saying we are unloveable. And God still loves us.

Last weekend I traveled 350 miles to celebrate my grandson’s third birthday. It was a fun weekend with lots of giggles and cake. I loved reading car stories to him and seeing his interest in the details of his favorite construction toys. He’s full of questions as he tries to understand life, such as “When will I be two again?” and “If possums hang upside down, do they get a headache?”

It’s easy to respond in love when the questions are innocent. But when an independent spirit rises to challenge the status quo, a loving response becomes a decision.

When it was time for me to leave, he ran to a different room. He wouldn’t let me hug him one more time. He hid.

He probably wanted to make a game of hiding from me. I left without a final hug from my little guy. Although I was a bit saddened, I still love him. He’s only a child of three. I have great memories of the weekend; I’ll see him again and there will be more hugs and books to read.

Too often we are like that with God—we hide from Him. We don’t accept the love that is expressed in the Word, through the life of Jesus, or shown through other people. We hide in a childlike manner.

Yet God continues to reach out to us anyway, faithful and steadfast.

Ephesians 3:18 is a prayer for us.

And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. (NLT)

His arms are open. Won’t you let God love you?