The Love of God - Danielle Palmer
Ladies, don’t we all just want to be loved? Is there anything better than knowing someone loves and accepts you? Isn’t it a delight to know that someone is eagerly waiting to spend time with you? Doesn’t it feel so safe when you can speak freely and know that the person to whom you are speaking is really hearing you and wanting what is best for you? Some ladies reading this today may say, “Amen” to these thoughts. Others may say, “I wouldn’t know. I have never felt that!” If you have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ, you have a Heavenly Father who truly, deeply, and passionately cares for you just like that! Just imagine if we could really see and understand how much the Creator of the Universe loves us. I think we would be unstoppable! What could discourage us? What could possibly derail us? What could draw us away from Him if we were fully aware of His intense love? But why is it that some of us don’t feel that love from God as much as others? Is it because we are less lovable?
Before someone can really feel the love of God, they must first understand some basic truths about it. His love is undeserved (Titus 3:5), unstoppable (Romans 8:35-39), encouraging (Romans 8:31), sacrificial (Romans 5:8), abundant (Romans 5:5), specific (Matthew 10:30), eternal (Jeremiah 31:3), secure (Isaiah 41:13), intentional (Psalm 139:14-18), and patient (Psalm 103:11-14). Wow! This Heavenly Father who loves us is indescribable (Romans 11:33)! The best part of it all is, His love is PERSONAL! Psalm 18:19 says, “He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.” God created you knowing exactly what your strengths and weaknesses would be! He saved you knowing just how often you would fall! He stretches down His hand again and again to help you, simply because He delights in you! Maybe you know these things but still fail to feel His love daily. Maybe you feel that God is “fed up” with you. Maybe today, you feel that you are just another generic “child” in God’s family, or for whatever reason, He is too big and important to care about the details of your life. I would like to share three steps that changed my life completely.
The first step is awareness. God’s love is surrounding us all the time! He is constantly flooding us with His kindness and mercy. If something bad happens, it’s not because He as abandoned us. Sometimes, we are needing to learn lessons. “…when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” Sometimes, He is needing to correct us. “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth…” Sometimes, life just happens! Matthew 5:45 says, “…for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust.” Our troubles aren’t big red flags that God doesn’t love us. It is often through these issues that God is trying to love us the most! Why don’t we see it? There is one answer. We aren’t looking for it! I have had so many times working with bus kids when I tell them again and again how much I love them. I buy them gifts, pay for their food, pray for them, write them notes; all for them to say, “You don’t care about me!” How frustrating! It is frustrating, because I have poured myself into them while they have willingly kept their eyes, ears, and hearts shut tight. They are willingly ignorant. Don’t you think God might feel that same frustration with us sometimes? You can learn to pay attention! Maybe you wake up in the morning, and God helps you to wake up on time without an alarm clock. You get up and go to the window and see a beautiful bird. You go to the refrigerator or coffee maker, and you can have your pick from the abundance that is there. You take a shower and enjoy hot water. Maybe you wake up to little children who love you and think you are amazing. Maybe your husband hugs you and gives you a kiss. Perhaps you head to work and hit all the green lights! You find a parking spot that you were secretly hoping for. You receive a kind text from a friend. A co-worker says something kind or helps you with a project. There is an accident on the way home, but you miss it! Maybe a bill needs to be paid, but God provides a little extra to make it happen. You read your Bible or hear a Christian song, and it is just what you need for that day. Did you know that each and every good thing you experience is a gift from God? James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
We should be daily thanking God and acknowledging these small kindnesses. Not only that, I believe we should we asking for Him to show us more! Do you think God wants us to feel His love? Of course He does! He loves showing off to us, and He loves our praise and thanksgiving! Every day, pray for God to show you His love in a way you can see it clearly. Learning to pay attention to God’s love and His involvement in your life takes practice! It was a great day in my life when a sweet lady encouraged me to have a “God-loves-me” sign. All this means is, when that thing comes across my path, it is a direct “I love you” from God. I chose smiley faces, wind, rubber bands, and the number 828. I love feeling loved! You could choose anything: orange cars, butterflies, ladybugs, pot holes, purple flowers, pennies on the ground, free chocolate or coffee! It may seem silly, but if you choose one, open your eyes, and invite God to show you His feelings for you, you will be amazed at how present He is with you all day long! You will go about your day and see your special “I love you” more than you ever thought possible!
Is it enough to just receive love from God’s hands? Will that keep us basking in joy and love all day? No, there is another step! We ought to return that love to Him! We know we can’t really love Him until we recognize His love first. I John 4:19 tells us, “We love him, because he first loved us.” So, when God answers your prayers and rains down love on you, you should return that love back to Him through thanksgiving and praise! God loves to see us delighted in His care! When your children squeal with delight at a gift you give them, show it off to others, thank you profusely, and tell you that they love you, what do you want to do? You want to continue to make them smile! I have had interactions with people who, no matter what I do for them, just say, “Is that all?” I may still help them, but I have very little desire to do so. What delightful fun it is to help and bless a thankful person! You can give God that same delight and smile today by simply acknowledging what He does for you and offering back, “I love you, too, God!” Psalm 33:1 says, “Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.” It takes very little effort, but brings a great, big smile to your Heavenly Father! As you begin this journey of opening your eyes to God’s love, you will find that He really is ever present in your daily life. You will become more confident in fearful situations, as you feel His hand holding onto yours. You will be more aware that He cares for your small concerns. You will see Him meet more and more of your needs in amazing ways. You will even be able to help build others’ faith as you brag on your Heavenly Father’s goodness!
The last step is the most fun! It is simply sharing! It is being so full of the love God gave you, that you can’t help but spill it out onto others! I John 4:11 says, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” As you journey through your day, keenly aware of your loving Father, who helps, encourages, and even spoils you, you will begin to feel truly overwhelmed by how gracious He is to you! Soon, you will be searching along your path for someone else who is looking sad and unloved. You will have so much, that you allow God to use you as a channel for His love! You will be the reason another person will know that God loves them! Then, at the end of the day, exhausted, excited, and full of joy at having been used, you can rest all night in His love as well! You can wake up the next morning, greet your new-found Companion (the Holy Spirit), and begin the whole process again! What a joy!
I have lived both with and without these three habits in my life, and I can tell you first-hand that God does not love anyone above another. Some people are not just “luckier” or favored by Him. The only difference between a joyful Christian and a grumpy, neglected Christian is whether or not they choose to open their eyes daily and allow God a chance to show them His goodness! Will you allow God a chance to love you today? Will you stand with your arms crossed, muttering, “You don’t care about me”, or will you step out in faith and ask God to teach you to open your eyes? There is a full, abundant, and joyful life to be had! God loves you so much, and you are so special to Him!