God Loves You

This week, I am preparing a lesson to teach the preschoolers about God’s love. I wrote the phrase “God Loves You!” on 40 pieces of white paper with white crayon. In class the kids will “reveal” the secret message I have written with watercolor paint. As I was writing that phrase 40 times, it got me thinking. How often do we take God’s love for granted? How often do we say that phrase without ever really considering how radical God’s love for us IS? In Romans, it says this:
Romans 5:8 God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
I think about the way I have sinned in my life, and while reflecting on how God has this radical love for me through my sin, it takes my breath away. God didn’t wait to love me until I have gotten cleaned up, He didn’t wait to love me until I have seen my sin for what it was; but rather He died for me while I was actively sinning!
Ephesians 2:4-5 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved. What a gift God has given us! For those who call themselves Christians, God has saved us through HIS mercy. If we look further, we’ll find in 1 John that not only does God love us, but He IS love.
1 John 4:7-8 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.  Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. Even better, because of His love, we are not only loved by God, but CHILDREN of God!
John 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. Take some time today to reflect on the way God’s love has changed your life. Think about how His spirit, which was poured out on you when you became a Christian, has guided you and fulfilled you in your times of need. Think about His unending, overwhelming, undeserved love. And say a prayer of thanksgiving to Him!