I find listening to worship music quite therapeutic, especially if I find myself resonating with the words. Even more so if I find myself in a moment where it’s been one of those mornings. And with five children, every morning has potential to be one of those mornings!
Most of the time I turn on the radio and listen to UCB2. Somehow, God seems to work in the right moments to show He is there. The music played and people telling their stories speaks directly to my heart.
I have been listening to some music as I have been working through these posts on God’s Love. I’d like to share these with you and I hope they encourage you like they have me. I also hope they bring you into a deeper knowledge of God’s love.
I often wonder why God loves me. What do I need to do to earn His love? Is He really loving me for who I am?
God doesn’t love us because of the service we are doing for Him. It’s nothing to do with how many people we win for Him. It’s not even because we are super confident with praying or whether we spend hours in the Bible each day.
God loves us because he just does! No questions asked. He always has and always will. For us to taste his love and experience it we need to be in a relationship with him.
Does God love me for who I am?
As I have been reading through the Bible verses which describe God’s love, I have been questioning whether the verses could be applied to myself. Have you felt the same too?
We have our faith in Jesus Christ because He died on the cross for us. That’s a pretty major thing for God to do for little old us. Think about it, God sent His One and only Son into our world to die for us.
He died for me.
He died for you.
Something to think about…
Because of this amazing act of selfless love, we can say we are accepted for who we are. God didn’t say to us “you must change before I let my Son die”. No! He sent Him to die just as we were. If that’s not true love, I don’t know what is. Think about it.
Prayer
Lord, we get days where we forget who we are in you. We forget just exactly how much you love us. Help us to remember what sacrifice you gave up for us. Amen.
When Jesus was baptised by John, God opened up the heavens and told him how much he loved him.
Don’t we just wish that God will say that he loves us just like that? Breaking open the heavens for us and a big booming voice jumping out? That’s the kind of validation I would love to get. I don’t think the heavens will open up just like that though.
However, God does speak to us in other ways. He uses other people and situations to show us just how much He loves us. We just need to look out for them.
Signs of God’s love
If we think carefully, we can probably name some instances in our life where God showed up. We may have had one of those moments where we felt His love penetrate us. In His own way He was telling us He loves us and was well pleased with us.
We may have felt His love work through us when we have been praying. Maybe we heard a specific word or had an image given to us. Perhaps we have had an answer to prayer. It may be a friend has shown up at the right moment, or better still, a stranger showing up at just the right time.
Sometimes, it may take a while to notice when God is showing His love. This may be because we have experienced hurt in our lives. The hurts we encounter hinder us noticing those moments.
Isaiah 43 mentions numerous ways God works when He loves His people. He also asks us to not dwell on the past because He wants to do a good thing in us.
Something to think about…
We need to soften our hearts to what is around us in order to receive God’s love fully. It takes time and being intentional. It’s hard at first as sometimes we don’t know what to trust.
I want to encourage you to write down any encounters you experience. Do you notice any signs of God’s love?You can look back on them at the end of the day when it’s quiet. Take in what you have experienced and let it sink deep into your heart.
Prayer
God, thank you for your love. Please touch my heart right now and give me a sign of your deep love for me. Help me to open my heart to receive the love you have for me. Help me to be open to the signs you give me. Amen.
I have written previously about the unconditional love God has for us because we are His children. Part of God’s unconditional love is His disciplining love. Just like our children get it wrong sometimes and we teach them the right way to live, so must God do that with us.
When raising children, we have certain standards we expect them to keep. It helps them to learn what they need to achieve later on in life. Life lessons are not easy, but with a little guidance and discipline, we hope they turn out ok.
Disciplining love hurts
It’s not the best type of love I like to receive from God. After all, who enjoys being told off? I know my kids don’t. Although the amount of times I tell them off I may have to question that thought.
My children don’t seem to learn sometimes and often make the same mistakes. Time and time again I tell them not to do something, but they still keep on doing it. They think they know best.
They don’t know what I know. I’ve been a child before and I know how their minds work. I’ve been there and done it! They think they know best, but in reality they don’t have a clue.
This is the same with us and God. We make mistakes too in God’s eyes. Maybe it’s a certain habit we need to break from which doesn’t help us to grow in God’s love.
Time and time again we get a nudge that maybe what we are doing is not what we should be doing. We start to feel guilty. This is God’s Spirit working in us prompting us to turn back to Him.
Sometimes we think we know best though and we ignore the prompting. We carry on our own sweet way trying to figure it out ourselves. Maybe our situation starts to get worse and something happens which causes us pain. What do we then start thinking?
Where is God in all this?
Has He abandoned us? Does He not care if we are suffering? Why has He let this happen to us? Does He not love us anymore? I’ve often had this response from my own children.
“Do you not love me mummy?” They will shout.
“Of course I do” I will reply.
“Then why are you being so mean?” They cry.
Disciplining love teaches
I have told them time and time again what not to do. I gave them consequences if they chose to carry on. Why are they then shocked? They think because I love them I will not carry out my punishment. But I love them and they need to learn.
My children know deep down I love them just like I know deep down God loves me. Sometimes God does not step in to relieve us because we need to learn. If we keep doing the same thing over and over again, maybe God wants to teach us something.
In these moments we need to not be scared and to work through the suffering. Let the suffering we experience help us to turn to God and not away from him. He wants us to come running back to Him. Surely, it’s better if we do this with Him and not against Him?
Something to think about…
Have you noticed if there is a part of your life that doesn’t line up with what God wants for you? Are there any areas where you need the Gardener to come in and do a little pruning? God is here to help you and he will gently cut away the dead branches, if you let Him.
Prayer
God, I know I have sinned and I am sorry. I know I keep making the same mistakes. Please come into my life and show me where I am going wrong. I want to do what is right and grow in your love. Amen.
“Reckless Love” by Cory Asbury is a well-known worship song. It is a beautiful song with its well meaning words. Also, it is one that people could resonate with very well.
However, there is something about this song which meant I found it really hard to sing the words. I disagreed with them as I just could not apply them to my life.
Imagining God leaving the ninety-nine to chase after me, the one who is lost, was something I could not grasp. I couldn’t imagine God busting a gut to chase after me, let alone climb mountains and tear down walls. It made me cry to think God would do any of this:
There’s no shadow You won’t light up Mountain You won’t climb up Coming after me There’s no wall You won’t kick down Lie You won’t tear down Coming after me
The story behind Reckless Love
The word reckless comes from the Old English word receleas, which means careless. If your attitude is reckless you aren’t worried about your actions. It could also have a big impact on you and others around you. Reckless, in contrast, is the opposite of considerate or careful.
“Reckless Love” has caused a lot of controversy due to the use of the word reckless. A lot of people don’t agree with the word being associated with God. However, Cory has written on his Facebook profile why he used the phrase, “reckless Love of God”:
“When I use the phrase, “the reckless love of God”, I’m not saying that God Himself is reckless. I am, however, saying that the way He loves, is in many regards, quite so. What I mean is this: He is utterly unconcerned with the consequences of His actions with regards to His own safety, comfort, and well-being. His love isn’t crafty or slick. It’s not cunning or shrewd. In fact, all things considered, it’s quite childlike, and might I even suggest, sometimes downright ridiculous. His love bankrupted heaven for you. His love doesn’t consider Himself first.”
He then goes on to say…
“His love isn’t selfish or self-serving. He doesn’t wonder what He’ll gain or lose by putting Himself out there. He simply gives Himself away on the off-chance that one of us might look back at Him and offer ourselves in return.”
God’s reckless love in the past
God wants a relationship with us. Furthermore, he will pursue us and seek us out. His love is not what is reckless but how He wants to engage with us maybe considered as so.
The parables which Jesus told about the lost son and the lost sheep are a prime example. The father accepted his son back into his family. This would have been seen as reckless, especially after the father himself was rejected. Even more so, as his son had spent all his inheritance and didn’t want to help his father out.
It would have looked like the father is being reckless, but Jesus showed this is exactly what God’s love is like. God would give up everything all over again to receive the son (or daughter) back into his arms.
In addition to this, it is the same with the lost sheep. Why worry about one sheep and risk all the others being lost? In His eyes, the ninety-nine sheep are safe and he is willing to seek out those who are lost – no matter what the cost is.
This is, without a doubt, quite a reckless action. However, saving the one person who is lost can have such dramatic consequences. Think of Saul on the road to Damascus and how God met him and changed him. Look at the effect then Paul (who was Saul) had on the increase of believers.
God’s reckless love now
Who would have thought? God’s reckless love for Saul changed the lives of many people to come. Even now, as scripture is read, lives are still changing.
The reason why I struggle singing Reckless Love goes back to what I have written previously about being worthy. It’s the same old story of not feeling worthy enough to receive His love.
I think cory Asbury captures perfectly what God really does. God loves you and will risk anything to save you, and He saves you because you are worth it!
Something to think about…
Listen to “Reckless Love” by Cory Asbury and meditate on his words. Let it sink deep into your heart and start to believe the words he has written.
Prayer
Dear God, thank you for still believing in me and still chasing after me. Even when I have sinned against you, you still love me and want me back. I am sorry if I have ever turned my back on you. Please never give up on me. Amen
