Sometimes on our journey we wonder about God’s love for us. Paul tells us in Ephesians 3:14-19 NKJV, “For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
Some of us may question still the love that God has for us. I believe this is a great avenue to explore, because with a better understanding and a deeper revelation of God’s love, we can walk confidently in who He created us to be and be better equipped to share this love with others.
Where do I begin? The first thing that comes to mind is condemnation. Let’s put this lie to rest. In Romans 8:1 NKJV it says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” When you tell yourself you don’t deserve God’s love or that you’re not good enough, break that lie! According to God’s word, which He never lies, there is no condemnation! You are a child of God and He does love you and want you!
Let’s look at the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15 beginning with verse 11 and reading to verse 20 in NKJV.
Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. “And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. “And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. “But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land and he began to be in want. “Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. “And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! ‘I will arise and go to my father and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, “I am no longer worthy to be called your son, Make me like one of your hired servants.” “And he arose and came to his father, But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
We see that the son took his inheritance and wasted it foolishly away. He then faced his own hardships that brought him to realize that he needed his father. The son returned home and was not rejected, but received with open arms and in love. In the same way, we decide to do things our own way. It’s when we are in the midst of those struggles that our eyes are opened and we realize how truly desperate we are for our Father and that we cannot do this life without Him. He is there with His arms wide open to receive us in love! “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:1 NKJV).
Another word that comes to mind is adoption. Let me share this scripture which speaks to my heart and I pray will speak to your heart also. Romans 8:15 NKJV, “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’” There are two things that I want to address in this scripture. Fear. We do not have to be afraid of our past, present, or future. Abba, Father instructs us in His word the way of life and life abundantly. I would venture to say this; we need to be able to forgive. We need to forgive others, forgive ourselves, and let ourselves be forgiven. Recognize what the old is and let God help you to put it to rest so you can walk in the new creation He has made you to be. The second thing I would like to address is this. We ARE His sons and daughters. We have been adopted! He desires a relationship with us! Ephesians 1:4 NKJV says, “Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” Let me share this with you, as my pastor mentioned in a sermon not long ago. God’s blessings are not based on current circumstances, but on the will of God. Let us re-read some of the above scripture… “Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to THE GOOD PLEASURE OF HIS WILL…” You are wanted and you are loved!
Finally… the cross. How many individuals do you know would willingly die for you, for the world? Every lashing, every moment of being spat upon and mocked, the torture, and brutality of the scourging until there was no recognition of who Jesus was, to the nails in His hands and feet to His very last breath was for us, for our punishment. 2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” His love poured out on the cross for you, for me, for the world to be His sons and daughters, purchased with the blood of Christ and redeemed…adopted.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:16 NKJV).
© 2022 Leslie Wittenmyer—All rights reserved