DaySpring Daily Word of Inspiration: Jeremiah 31:3 –The Lord appeared to him from afar, saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.
As we come to the end of this week’s devotional time, I want to simply take a moment for us all to meditate on the love that God truly has for us. From the way He formed us (Gen. 2:7), to the way He cares for us (James 1:17 & 1 Tim. 6:17b), and in how He has our best interest at heart (John 3:16). God is simply amazing.
Tell me what kind of love do you see when you look at how God has loved you? Let me set up a scenario for you: Suppose you were given the decision to become a parent and you had been waiting for this opportunity. You actually loved and appreciated the idea – genuinely. Then right before you were able to start on your journey to become a parent you were told of everything that this child would put you through. The hurts, the lies, the disobedience, the heartache, the worry, the selfishness, the ego, the blatant disrespect, and oh yeah, this child would ultimately lead to your own death. Now that’s a lot to chew on but consider this question: would you still set out to have this child? Would your love start to fade? Would your desire begin to become hopeless in ever having a child or wanting one for that matter? How would you honestly feel knowing all of that in advance?
This is why today’s passage is so powerful and tear-jerking. The everlasting love that we are now (currently) under, is a love that not only will stay with us forever, but it is the same love that actually made us! God drew us with His lovingkindness because of a deep-seeded, infatuating, agape love for us that no man will ever be able to comprehend. Knowing all that we would turn out to be, God still, in His love for us, decided to create us and have His love be extended to us for all eternity. Beyond that, He continues to do for us and even allowed the ultimate expression of His love by having His Son Jesus Christ die for our sins so we could be brought back into a relationship with Him. What kind of love is that? I tell you this, our love for God and each other won’t even scratch the surface of being on the same level.
So how do we compete? We can’t! God loved us first and display the action of love first. We are not even an existing or functioning factor without His love, seriously! However, there should and can be a reciprocal attribute that His love produces in us. Our love for God is shown in our obedience to His word. Specifically, we touch God’s heart when we feed and gather His sheep (John 21:15-17; John 14:15; John 13:34-35).
Today as we go throughout our days, let us truly meditate on and consider the love that God has for us. We pray that it moves you to change and be better for Him and that it springs up a response in you to want to love Him back…. as much as He has loved you – even though He knew how bad we’d actually be. Be moved by God’s love today; there’s nothing in the universe like it. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!