See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! ~ 1 John 3:1
As Christians, we are to believe that we are all children of God, which means that we are deeply and truly loved by Him.
What does this feel like though? To be deeply and truest loved? Honestly, I don’t know.
I know He sent His one and only Son down to save us, and that Jesus went through so much pain and suffering, and then He died for us in such a humiliating way. So, obviously, He MUST love me if He did that! I mean, REALLY LOVE me.
I am a Christian, but I honestly don’t know what it feels like to be deeply loved by God, even though I know what He has done for me.
God loves me.
Although I can say it and write it and it goes through my mind, I don’t truly feel it. Not deep down.
Why?
Why would God love a person that constantly fails?
Why would God love a person that would never live up to His standards?
Why would God love a person that has so many imperfections?
Why would God love a person when they don’t even love themselves?
Why would God love a person that has been broken as a child?
Why would God love me?
The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. ~ Zephaniah 3:17 T
Tears well up in my eyes as I write this. I so badly want to feel this amazing love that God has for me. I don’t just mean believing it, I mean really feeling it deep down within my heart.
I try to put myself in God’s shoes (not that I ever could in a million years) and imagine what it is like to love me. This is hard for me to do this, so hang in there with me please.
What is this amazing love He has for me?
I think back to when I had my first child. I carried my child for 7 months, since she was born 2 months premature. As a soon-to-be-mother, I knew that I had a great responsibility to do anything and everything to ensure the safety and well-being of my child. I did everything I could throughout my pregnancy to protect my child, but I nearly lost her and I nearly died in the process.
I remember holding her for the first time in my arms, so fragile and frail. I remember thinking, this is what deep love is like. I looked into the eyes of my new born child, not fully understanding at that point that I had nearly died because of her. True, unconditional love is formed within a heartbeat and my heart sank deep in that moment.
Nearly 8 years on and I still love my daughter deeply. It doesn’t matter how many times she fails and stumbles, I will still love her. My daughter needs my guidance, and I am there to provide that for her. She just needs to learn to ask me when she needs it, but that will take time the more she matures. Even when she doesn’t ask though, I will make sure that I am there by her side to pick her up. Why? Because I have that deep unconditional love for her.
Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you. ~ Isaiah 43:4
I am guessing that this is what God is like with me. With us. He loves us no matter what, whether we have fallen short, or been broken. It doesn’t matter how much we stumble because He will always be there by our side to catch us when we fall. Why? Because He loves us for WHO we are. He deeply and truly loves us.
I am like my daughter though…
…I am still learning.
ynne is a full-time working, married mother to 3 gorgeous children…two girls (aged 7 and 6) and a little man (aged 4). She blogs in the free time that she has, which is very little! She believes that a broken past does not mean a broken future and that we are all beautiful despite what we have been through. Her desire is that she is able to give people a little encouragement and hope through what she writes. She writes from the heart, honestly, about anything… things that have happened in the past, what she is going through right now and what she hopes for the future. Come visit her at: Blog: http://beautifullybroke.org Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Lynne-Cole-As-Real-As-It-Gets-518922804933978/ Instagram: lynne.cole Twitter: @LynneYWDB
