Have you ever wondered why or how God loves us?
Sometimes I think about creation and how an awesome, all-knowing, all-seeing, ever-present, all-powerful God who created the entire universe also planned the specific details in making humanity. I look at the ground we move upon, whether its landscapes that are full of healthy green fields of grass or no grass at all.
The skies can be rays of pastel colors ranging from light blue to yellow tones at sunrise followed by eventual sunsets of auburn and soft scenes of heavenly awe. It shares clouds and darkness of the night while still holding an amazing canvas of colors and sounds which can cause multiple types of feelings to be experienced all at once. In all its vastness and wonder, the seasons change and they’re all necessary and serve a purpose.
Like humanity, we all have seasons that are necessary and serve a purpose in the grand scheme of life we get to live each day we are graced to experience. Though some of us may not like or even want to express the same feelings as someone else may have simply due what one person may experience may be completely the opposite of another’s, we can appreciate we are all uniquely designed and capable of being our best versions of ourselves because we have each other.
Even in our differences, whether in our personalities, beliefs, dreams & goals, cultures, and experiences, we all have something in common, PURPOSE!
We all have purpose in why we are here…To be loved by God, who is the One who gives us life and meaning as well as to love others in the way He loves us. Now, I know what you may be thinking or even saying if you could say it out loud, “You don’t know me”, “How do you know?” or better yet, “Amen.”
Just the shear reason you’re reading this blog says you are Loved by God and loving others is in our DNA. In the Bible, in the book of Genesis (Gen), chapter 1:26-27 (Amplified Bible), states that God made you and I in His image according to His likeness:
“26 Then God said, “Let Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) make man in Our image, according to Our likeness [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness]; and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the cattle, and over the entire earth, and over everything that creeps and crawls on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
God gave us purpose in filling, governing and reigning over all that He created before and after He made “human beings” (mankind); male and female. That’s purpose. (Read: Genesis 1:3-25(AMP) and Genesis 1:28-30(AMP).
When mankind fell from the original state of being in God’s image and likeness without shame/guilt due to sin, mankind lost the intimacy and oneness we had with God our creator. (Read: Genesis 3) In order for us to be redeemed back to that state of intimacy with God, who is holy, we needed to be redeemed back to that state of relationship through a holy sacrifice and this is where Jesus (God the Son) in flesh/mankind/physically, needed to become acquainted with what we deal with as human beings but without sinning. This is so Jesus would be the perfect holy sacrifice (physically and spiritually) on our behalf as a human race born into sin after the first male and female that was originally created. (Read: John 3:16-17(AMP)
Jesus made us in right-standing with God the Father, by grace through faith.
This is available for all mankind, but only those that believe Jesus died for their sins and rose again for themselves will be born-spiritually alive and redeemed back into a holy relationship (righteousness/right-standing) with God. This is only done through faith, it cannot be worked up or worked for, no bargaining needed and only needed to believe once. It’s a done-deal!
It doesn’t end there. We get to have help to walk out our lives in, on and with the purposes and ways we were created to, with the help of the Holy Spirit! We’re never alone, and never without God’s presence, power and guidance.
Many times, we have been hurt or experience fear that makes it difficult to give and receive love, from God and others. A heart that was made to give and receive love that has been hurt or broken can become closed to such love because people can feel empty and life seems to have no meaning where it once was. I understand it completely to want to give up and call it quits…but don’t!
If you have breath in your body that’s God showing, there’s more to life than whatever you’ve experienced or are experiencing now.
Maybe you tried do what the Bible says to, “Love the Lord God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength…” and still find it challenging to love others (neighbors) as yourself, let alone be loved by others or even by God who is love. [Read: Matthew 22 verses 37 & 39 (AMP) & (1 John 4:8 (AMP)]
I can guarantee you’re not alone…many times we must stop and check what is causing the flow from our heart to become blocked from receiving and giving love like God does. Is it shame, regrets, guilt, grief, pain/hurt, betrayals, heartbreaks or disappointments? Maybe it’s something that had nothing to do with you or caused by yourself, maybe a suffered-wrong that was never justified, let alone acknowledged from or by another’s experience.
Seeking and consistently having someone to talk with, that is trusted, a safe space, and trained to help us work through these challenges is also part of checking our heart-flow so we can begin and continue to receive and give love. It is also vitally important to do so with healthy life-giving boundaries during and after the process of healing as it takes place. There is a set time to start receiving love and give love within your ability with God’s help, with healthy people, places and spaces.
Now is the set time…find your community that can walk with you while healing and celebrate the victories along the way with you!
We are all in need of Love and being Loved. Let the grace of God be sufficient to fill the areas that is hard to love and receive love in for now. (2 Corinthians 9:8(AMP) & (2 Corinthians 12:8-10(AMP)
Let’s do this together…let’s be loved and give love like Jesus!
Reflection Questions:
- What are some things that are holding me back from receiving the perfect love of God offered through Jesus’s example of being in a loving and intimate relationship with our creator?
- How might this change my personal view of why and how God expresses loves through His creation?
- Who can experience the healing and redeeming power that comes with checking our heart-flow based on what may be blocking our ability to receive and give love towards others and God?
- Why did Jesus give His life as an example for me to be redeemed and experience the everlasting loving relationship with God the Father?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, help me to open my heart to your plan and purpose for my life that I have been created and purposed to be and do. Let me never forget how much is cost you to give your life as an example so I can live the life I have been entrusted to share the same love as well as receive the perfect love that only comes from God our Heavenly Father. When it gets challenging, I will trust in the proven promises found in the scriptures the bible states and allow the Holy Spirit to guide, help, counsel, protect, correct and advocate on my behalf so you will always be glorified with and in my life. It’s on purpose, in purpose, with purpose and from purpose that only comes from you. I pray this in your amazing name, Amen!