God Knows Us and Still Loves Us
George Stiekes
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
God has a very special love for His own. His love is referred to in Scripture as an everlasting love, something no one on earth can do. It is a normal desire to be accepted and loved but all human love will be imperfect which results in many people feeling rejected.
The Apostle John wrote, Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: (I John 3:1). The Apostle Paul wrote, He loved us even when we were dead in sins (Ephesians 2:4-5). God lavishes His love on us and it is both unconditional and righteous. God demonstrated His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
Ephesians 1:4 states – According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. He knew you before the world was created. He later created us in His own image (Genesis 1:26, 27). No one is a product of chance! Psalm 139:13-14 reveals that He knew us while we were still in the womb.
We should recognize that God had a very specific purpose in the creation of every person. He even chose the gender out of love for the person and one that would parallel the purpose of his/her existence.
Do you realize that God made you unique. There is not another YOU in the entire universe and there never has been or will be. You are an original masterpiece and He loves you and is personally involved in your life.
Choose not to focus on feelings for they will always be in a constant state of change and do not always reflect the truth. It is far more important to focus on truth – God’s Holy Word. No one knows the makeup and needs of mankind any more than our Creator God.
Secondly, choose not to make comparisons with others. Your physical make up and personality are important to the role God has for you in this life. This does not mean that we should allow our physical appearance to deteriorate. In fact, we work on improving it recognizing that we are God’s representatives while we are here on this earth.
More important and thirdly, we must strive to improve our spiritual appearance. …for the LORD seeth not as man seeth, for man locks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart (I Samuel 16:7).
Fourthly, recognize that God always desires that which is best for you. That is a response of love. We have to remember however, that he knows what is best for us more than we do.
We need to understand that God does not love us because we deserve it or even because we loved Him. In fact, prior to the moment we became his children by faith in Christ Jesus, we did not have the ability to love Him back. But when by faith we trusted Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives, His love was shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us (Romans 5:5). He created us to be instruments of love. We sense God’s love by His Holy Spirit Who indwells us and we communicate His love to others by the same Spirit.
Thank God for His love for you today and for the privilege of sharing that love with others. Allow His love to abound in your life (Philippians 1:9), that is, to overflow to others.
George Stiekes held successful pastorates in churches in Michigan and Washington among other places. He currently resides in North Carolina and blogs at Reverent Reflections. We recommend his ministry and republish his material by permission.