God Loves You

 

Danny and I have exchanged quite a few cards over the decades. Easter, Christmas, Valentine’s Day – each one an opportunity to remind ourselves, in writing, just how much we mean to one another . We even have a special phrase we’ve used since our dating years and we both always put this phrase in our cards. We find that as we honor one another our hearts are warmed and we’re reminded of the truth about the endurance of true love.  I keep the cards in a cedar chest and the phrases and the sentiments have remained the same over the years.  

God has written the greatest love letter ever known and He wrote it with you in mind. Each phrase, specially spoken to His beloved, is full of reminders of His great love, His redeeming care and His eternal faithfulness.  This knowledge is all truth, but without opening the book and re-reading the message we are likely to forget the truth about God and the truth about ourselves. Everything about God begins and ends with His love.  It fails, it never changes, it never gives up, and it never runs out.  God’s love is eternal and you can rely on it forever.

Oh beloved, if you’re waking up to a morning where you feel ostracized, overwhelmed, frustrated, fearful or just done in, then it’s time to get out God’s love letter. God knows your present situation, that there are things you don’t want to face, situations you didn’t plan for your life and people who gave up, walked out, quit caring or moved on.  He wants you to know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that He is with you no matter what. He also wants you to know that He’s not some distant authority figure wielding His power over your life. No, He is here to give you guidance, keep you safe, walk with you through the hard places and make your life shine for His glory. He is your Redeemer – He takes His love and His nature and creates in your life a beautiful sonnet of His ability to rescue, save and change the life you are living.

He is more than enough. He is right on time. He is ever present. He is faithful to the end. He is all love and all knowing.  He sees everything that is going on and He wasn’t caught by surprise with any of it, even if you were. He is with you and His plans are trustworthy. He is a God of His Word, even when everyone else might be unfaithful to their words, He stands by them. Most of all He covers your entire life in His love. He begins your day with His love and He ends your day with His love.

His love will emancipate your heart . His love will liberate your captivity. His love will give you purpose, new life and real joy. His love says you are beloved, you are chosen and you are accepted.  His love has nothing to do with your performance. It has everything to do with His nature. He loves you. He’s going to stay the course with you. He’s going to give you a better day, a better way and a better life.

God loves you. And because He loves you He is for you. And because He is for you He will take your life and make it beautiful as you live in the light of His Word.

Romans 8:38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.

Psalm 86:13 for Your love for me is very great. You have rescued me from the depths of death.

Psalm 103:4 He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies.

Zephaniah 3:17 For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.

Romans 5:5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.

Psalm 63:3 Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you!

Who's Writing Your Love Story?

“Looking at him, she saw her future and felt all the ragged tears in her heart heal themselves. “I fit,” she whispered in marvel, stepping closer to him. “I fit with you.” He nodded and wrapped his arms around her. “Perfectly.”

While looking around Pinterest one day I found the sentences above in an artistic quote.
I assume it is from a love story. But it struck me as being so true for us as believers who come to Christ. 

We are a people with issues. We have huge holes torn into our hearts by life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We are always on the lookout for people to love us. We look for acceptance and camaraderie. We are on the hunt, hoping this next boyfriend or girlfriend will fulfill us. We look for the friend that will stay with us through the long haul. We hope that someone will come alongside us in our walk of faith that will meet our longing to love and be loved. We get disappointed in the search because nobody can meet those high expectations. 

God speaks to my heart: Look to Me. I am your future. I will heal all the tears in your heart as you find your completeness in Me. Step into My love, accept My forgiveness and new life. You will find that you fit perfectly in Christ like you have never fit anywhere else. I long to wrap My arms around you and teach you of Myself, so that you will know that I am perfect for you. I love you with an everlasting love. I will watch over you, guide you, direct you and keep you safe all the days of your life. Just stay close to Me and let Me mold you and make you into a person of faith, courageous and victorious because you walk with Me. Other loves will grow cold or disappoint from time to time, but I am the One that your soul loves. I am the only way to find complete contentment, joy and peace. There is no other who can give you this. Wrapped in My love you will find yourself able to forgive offenses and hold others loosely in your life. I will also make other loves sweeter because you find the ultimate source of all your needs in Me. 

Oh beloved, have you been reading love stories and are you looking for love to find you? You may be wishing on fairy tales and romances, but God is speaking to your heart. He loves you because His essence and being are love. He cares about every issue in your life and everything that you are concerned about He is concerned as well. While you are searching for answers, He IS the answer. He cannot make others meet your needs, and they are not meant to meet them all. But He will meet all your needs just as He promises in His Word. He will meet your needs and more. He will give you a new heart. He will give you a new life. He will make the old things that tore you up and left you bleeding on the ground heal completely. You may have issues with others who didn’t love you with real love, but God is here to mend your broken heart and make all things new. Let Him lead you into a deeper walk of faith. Let Him teach you how to live in the light of His love. Let Him be your all in all and other things, other people, other situations will fall right into place. 

No wonder they call Him the Savior! He’s with you and He’s for you as His love envelopes your entire life. You are destined to walk in Him and fulfill all the wondrous things He has for you as you seek Him first. Get out His beautiful love story every day and read from its pages for the Bible contains the greatest love story ever written – just for you as you look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith for He alone is faithful to the end.

I Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Isaiah 43:21 The people whom I formed for Myself will declare My praise.

Matthew 11:28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

Jeremiah 31:3 Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to Myself.”

Psalm 62:5 Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him.