Embrace God's Love For You

John 3:16-18 (King James Version)

16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God

John 3:16-17 (The Message)

16-18"This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.

Word in Action:

Embrace God’s love for you.

My worst moments were the times when I felt alone and that no one loved me. Have you ever felt that way? When I was a little girl, my consistent prayer was that everyone had someone to love and someone to love them back. I didn’t realize it at the time, but in essence, I was praying for the salvation of the world. I was praying that everyone came to know the true and living God for God IS love.

A lot of people think that when God says that His will is that none should perish, He is only speaking of a desire that none should die and go to Hell. I submit to you that there is such a thing as the “living dead.” When I speak of the “living dead,” I am not referencing the scary-looking zombies that appear in horror flicks. I am referencing the not-so scary-looking zombie that might be sitting right next to you…or worse….might BE you. I am referencing the person who lives each day without understanding the love that Jesus Christ has for him/her.

John 3:16 tells us that God loved the world so much that He sacrificed His son Jesus Christ so that we could live. With that great sacrifice, we can rest assured that even on the days that we feel the most misunderstood, the most rejected, the most alone, the most unloved, the most overlooked, the most forsaken, the most picked on, the most (fill in the blank), we can remember that there is SOMEONE who loves us at a level that has no limits.

Sometimes our parents, siblings, spouses, and friends simply do not know how to demonstrate love to us in the way that we crave. It’s not always their “fault.” Stop judging your worth by the way that people respond to you. Stop being angry or frustrated because people are not meeting your expectations. Stop allowing a desire to be “loved” or accepted by people allow you to compromise your Christian walk and faithfulness to the areas to which God has called you.

Embrace God’s love for you. Know that He loves you at ALL times. Know that He always accepts you. Know that He promised to NEVER leave you or forsake you. Spend time with Him. Meditate on His goodness. Talk to Him about the things you are experiencing. Ask Him for help. Ask Him to direct you. Declare that your heart is open to Him. Let Him heal you. Let Him love you.

Declaration of Faith:

I know that God loves me and that His love brings life, healing and courage.

Song of Praise: