Does God really love me?
It is a question you may have asked.
Life can be beautiful, but we all know pain and suffering. Being a believer does not make us immune to sorrow.
Sometimes we get so caught up in the details of our lives that we base our understanding of who God is on how we are feeling at that moment. And if we are struggling, we can begin to blame God.
We wonder if He really cares after all.
This is one of the reasons why it is so important to stay in God’s Word. To be constantly reminded of the truth – God loves you beyond your ability to comprehend.
And the ultimate demonstration of God’s breathtaking love for you is in the cross of Christ:
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:6-8
Can you imagine willingly sending your own child to die in the place of someone else? To be punished for another’s wrongdoing?
I can’t.
This is not greeting card love. No Hallmark sentiment here. This is a love that truly is “vast beyond all measure.”
Stuart Townend‘s beautiful modern hymn “How Deep the Father’s Love” is one of my favorite contemporary worship songs. With a simple and moving melody, the lyrics profoundly underscore the incredible love that God demonstrated to us by sending His Son to the cross on our behalf.
How Deep the Father’s Love
by Stuart TownendHow deep the Father’s love for us,
How vast beyond all measure,
That He should give His only Son,
To make a wretch His treasure.How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away,
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory.Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders,
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers.It was my sin that held Him there,
Until it was accomplished,
His dying breath has brought me life,
I know that it is finished.I will not boast in anything,
No gifts, no power, no wisdom,
But I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His death and resurrection.Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer.
But this I know with all my heart,
His wounds have paid my ransom.
It defies logic, doesn’t it? That Jesus – pure, sinless, holy – would willingly die a criminal’s death. That the Father would allow it… that this very act would be His will.
Friends, I am a mess. Every single day I shake my head at my own sin. I am selfish, I lose my patience, I forget to keep my eyes focused on Jesus and I worry too much. Why would Jesus die for me?
It is simple. Because He loves me. It is not fair that I should be showered with so much grace… that a broken girl who keeps sinning should be washed clean. We all know the consequence of sin…
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 6:23
Yes, we are offered a gift… the ultimate gift, freely given with an extravagant love.
You and I will sin today. We will experience pain this week. But we can sing this love song, strong and true:
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer.
But this I know with all my heart,
His wounds have paid my ransom.
Thank you Lord!!
You can listen to “How Deep the Father’s Love” by clicking here or on the video below.
I needed to read this. I am God’s child through Jesus Christ my Lord. I feel like a mess daily, too. I know in my head God loves me. My emotions and feelings LIE to me. I have been digging deeply in the the truth of God’s love for me. I even copy/paste and save to my desktop the truths of God’s love. I find myself behaving selfishly and then condemn myself. I realize that this is a lie from the enemy. I choose to continue digging in the truth trusting God to remind me of the truth.
What a blessing that you are choosing to steep yourself in God’s Truth, Marilyn! Feelings will fail us time and again, but the Word of the Lord stands forever! Your comment is an encouragement to me. Thank you!
Thank you, Patti. It is truly His Love that sustains me. My favorite line from this post? “This is not greeting card love.”
And I am so glad His love is not flowers and hearts and sparkles. His love is power and LIFE! <3