SO, WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN WE SAY GOD LOVES YOU?

1. It means that God will always act in your best interest.

Illustration: I am reading again the book, Evidence Not Seen. It is the story of Missionary Darlene Rose, who was captured on the mission field by Japanese soldiers when World War II broke out. When her husband Russell was captured, he very quietly said to her, “Remember one thing, dear: God said that He would never leave us nor forsake us.” Those were the last words that Darlene heard from him. With that encouragement in her heart, she survived her terrible captivity, and the agony of her husband’s passing. She lived to witness of God’s faithfulness. The entire book is a wonderful read about the love of God.

1. Deuteronomy 28:3-4 says:

³ I will proclaim the name of the Lord;
    how glorious is our God!
⁴ He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect.
    Everything he does is just and fair.
He is a faithful God who does no wrong;
    how just and upright he is!

God is the “Rock.” He is the One to whom you can always turn. He is always faithful. He always does what is right—even when it doesn’t make sense to our human understanding. God is operating from his eternal viewpoint, and “working all things together for our good” (Romans 8:28).

Illustration: After World War II ended and Missionary Darlene was released from prison, the doctor who had attended her husband in his final days shared with Darlene details about his passing. The doctor (a fellow prisoner) related that they discovered Russell had a heart condition—probably from his many strenuous years on the mission field, prior to the War. It was his heart that finally gave out while he was imprisoned. In the book, Darlene shared that she came to realize the mercifulness of God in sparing him much suffering. She mused that, had Russell lived through the War, he would have endured much more suffering and may still have died an early death due to his heart issue. (This was long before heart issues were more manageable.) She believed and testified that God had truly done what was best by her husband.

1. God will be faithful to you all the way to the end of your life. Then, he will carry you over to eternity where you will “dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6).
2. It means that God is always for you.

Romans 8

³¹ What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? ³² Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 

³⁸ And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. ³⁹ No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1. God accepts you – why He made you and He makes no mistakes.

Joke – Now, sometimes we kind of insult God’s creation because we don’t take care of ourselves. We have no one to blame but ourselves for that. This reminds me of a joke. A husband said to his wife, “Aww, but honey, I am still tired from my cross-fit this morning.” She replied, “It isn’t cross-fit, it is pronounced croissant and you had 4 of them.”

1. God believes in your worth.

Isaiah 41 says:
⁸ “But as for you, Israel my servant,
    Jacob my chosen one,
    descended from Abraham my friend,
⁹ I have called you back from the ends of the earth,
    saying, ‘You are my servant.’
For I have chosen you
    and will not throw you away.
¹⁰ Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
    Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
    I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

1. It is never too late to start over in God’s love. Isn’t it amazing how a little romance will encourage us? Try falling in love with God. That will change your life for the better!

• It means that God always listens to you – Deut. 33:26-27 says:

²⁶ “There is no one like the God of Israel.
    He rides across the heavens to help you,
    across the skies in majestic splendor.
²⁷ The eternal God is your refuge,
    and his everlasting arms are under you.
He drives out the enemy before you;
    he cries out, ‘Destroy them!’

1. God listens, God helps, God holds! You can’t beat that!
2. God does what is best for you!

Darlene Rose tells of being put on death row – sentenced to die for her faith. She said, “Never had I known such terror. Suddenly I found that I was singing a song that I had learned as a little girl in Sunday School in Boone, Iowa:

Fear not, little flock,

Whatever your lot,

He enters all rooms,

The doors being shut.

He never forsakes,

He never is gone,

So count on his presence

From darkness to dawn.

Only believe, only believe,

All things are possible, only believe.

So tenderly my Lord wrapped His strong arms of quietness and calm about me. I knew they could lock me in, but they couldn’t lock my wonderful Lord out (underline added). Jesus was there in the cell with me.

1. It means that God defends you – Deut. 33:29 says:

²⁹ How blessed you are, O Israel!
    Who else is like you, a people saved by the Lord?
He is your protecting shield
    and your triumphant sword!
Your enemies will cringe before you,
    and you will stomp on their backs!”

1. Satan has no claim to your life. He has had to file a “quit claim.” Jesus wrote him a “cease and desist” letter when he rose from the grave – putting Satan to an open shame.
2. God is protecting you in his love. Just read Psalm 34:7!
3. As God said to Abram in Genesis 15: “[He is] your victory and your exceeding great reward.”

Conclusion:

So what is the proper response to this amazing love of God? What should we do? Moses reminds us of the proper response:

Deuteronomy 33:3

³ The Lord loves his people
    and protects those who belong to him.
So we bow at his feet
    and obey his commands.

Learn More:

We hope this devotional has been a blessing to you!

You can learn more about the vision of our pastor and teacher, Larry Aikens, Jr. by clicking HERE and then following the different links! We also invite you to visit Bethel’s website to learn more about Larry, our ministries at Bethel, and our wonderful congregation. Just click HERE and look around!