Today during my quiet time with God, I was struck by His great love for me. This is not a new concept for me. It is written in His Word again and again, but today I was reflecting on a message I heard during our week of revival at my church, and the thought of who God is, who I am, and why He loves me inundated my thoughts.
God is not Someone I can fully comprehend. I know what I have read in the Bible. Words like “holy” and “eternal” describe Him, but in my humanity, I cannot really grasp the characteristics of God.
- “And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.” – Isaiah 6:3
- “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.”- Psalm 90:2
Not to mention, the fact that there is only one God, yet three-in-One.
- “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” – 1 John 5:7)
To help me understand Him better, God chose to come to earth in the embodiment of Jesus Christ. As the Son of God, He was a man, yet He was God. He came to do what mankind could never do… atone for their sins.
- “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:” – Philippians 4:6-7
- “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” – 1 John 4:10
However, when I sat quietly and pondered, my thoughts focused on one question, “Why?”
Why go through all of this knowing what would happen? The exponential growth of sin in the world, the rejection of God Himself by His own creation, the horrific payment for sin that would have to be made for any reconciliation with Him… Why?
Why did God choose to save mankind knowing that one day that would result in His Son going to the cross?
- God could have destroyed the world totally when Adam and Eve sinned, and He could easily have started all over, destroying Lucifer and the rebellious angels and not having to deal with the sins of mankind.
- God could have placed angels with flaming swords around the tree of the knowledge of good and evil preventing Adam and Eve’s disobedience and the introduction of sin into the world.
- God could have mandated that we would have to find our own way to salvation through works or deeds, which of course, we would never be able to do or even want to, and then let us die in our sins and go into a Christless eternity without Him.
But God didn’t do any of that. Instead, He made a plan to save all of us from our sins. He would send His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to the cross.
- “And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.” – 1 John 4:14
But, why?
Why did Jesus choose to go to the cross? Why not decide on a different path for redemption? Why would He want to save a sinner like me, knowing how I would fail Him again and again… even after accepting His free gift of salvation? Why is God faithful and just to forgive me over and over? (1 John 1:9) When I reflect on who I am, I truly am amazed that God would even care about me. After all, I am not a great teacher of the gospel; I am not a missionary; I am not prominent in the Church. I am just a plain ordinary person, unworthy, sinful, and often resistant to His leading. Yet Jesus chose to sacrifice Himself as the answer to the sin problem of the world. Not only did He provide salvation for us, but we don’t really have to do anything for it except to ask for His forgiveness and trust Him as Saviour. I don’t have to perform certain tasks or give a certain amount of money to the church. I don’t have to pray a certain amount of times each day or even attend church so many days a week. I don’t have to do anything but trust Him as my Saviour and ask Him to forgive me. Why?
- “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” – Romans 10:13
Why does God’s Holy Spirit dwell within me? I know what the Bible says about the responsibilities of the Spirit of God, but me? I take Him into situations that He would not voluntarily go. I expose Him to sins that hurt, disgust, and disappoint Him. I often don’t listen to Him when He speaks to me through His Word. Why does He persist in correcting, convicting, teaching, and guiding me? He doesn’t need me at all, nor will He ever need me, yet He is with me 24/7, and will be for all eternity. Why?
- “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” – 1 Corinthians 3:16
The answers to all my “whys” are found in one place – The Bible.
God did all of this for one reason only. He loves me. Over and over again in the Scriptures, God reiterates how much He loves me and all of humanity. It is this love that stayed Him from utterly destroying every living thing on this planet. It is this love that compelled Jesus to walk the road to Calvary. It is this love that brought the Holy Spirit into our lives fulfilling God’s promise that He would never leave us. The reason is love.
- “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16
This is the God I serve…or at least try to serve to the best of my ability. This is the God I love because He first loved me. This is the God who created me knowing that I would fail Him time and time again – that I would seek His forgiveness over and over – that I would choose sin over Him. This is the God who loves me with an everlasting love.
- “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” – Jeremiah 31:3
This is the God who desires a relationship with me despite all that I am and all that I am not. This is the God who sacrificed Himself for my sins.
- “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8
This is the God who invites me into His throne room any time I want to go there.
- “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,”- Hebrews 10:19
This is the God who listens for my prayers and then answers them in a way that is best for me and those for whom I intercede.
- “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers…” – 1 Peter 3:12
This is the God who knew me before I was even conceived… I began as a thought in the mind of God, and then He formed me in my mother’s womb. He wanted me to exist.
- “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee…” – Jeremiah 1:5
This is the God who blesses me every single day. He has a plan for my life and continues to work in me, making me more like His Son Jesus.
- “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” – Jeremiah 29:11
This is the God who is preparing a place for me in heaven to life with Him forever because He loves me.
- “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”- John 14:2
This is THE God. This is MY God. This is the only true and living God. Not only does He love me, but He knows me by name.
- “But if any man love God, the same is known of him.” – 1 Corinthians 8:3
- “But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee…” – Jeremiah 12:3
I am so blessed.
I stand amazed in the presence
Of Jesus the Nazarene,
And wonder how He could love me,
A sinner, condemned, unclean.
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
Is my Savior’s love for me!
(from “I Stand Amazed in the Presence” by Charles H. Gabriel)
“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” – 1 John 4:16
**********
Jesus loves me, and He also loves YOU!