It’s Great to Be Loved

Sunday I introduced the message by talking about Esther’s and my first kiss together. What made that kiss so special was the three words that preceded it – “I love you.” You see, I fell in love with this blond hair, blue-eyed girl in the registration line at Valley Forge Christian College however we did not begin dating until six years later. So when I said those words to her at a beach in New Jersey, I was overwhelmed to hear them coming back to me. To be loved is an incredible thing.

If you think that human love is great, then you have not even begun to scratch the surface of God’s incredible love. You see, I was not pursuing God when he displayed his love for me. He pursued me. In fact, while I was an enemy with God, He loved me (Romans 5:6-11).

I invite you to read Ephesians 3:14-19 and meditate once again on God’s love. As you do, here are some thoughts from the message: 

1.     God’s Love is Extravagant - exceeding the limits of reason or necessity. John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world [so extravagantly], that he gave his only begotten son…”

2.     God’s Love is Unconditional - Human love is generally a response to the conditions and circumstances around us. We love because someone pleases us, because they are good looking or because they make us laugh. By contrast, God loves us because that’s the kind of God He is. Period. Nothing in us causes Him to love us. He just does.

3.     God’s Love is Undeniable – Romans 8:35-39 tells us that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. You can run from it. You can reject it. You can speak against it, but no matter how far you go, you cannot deny it – every day you wake up to it.

4.     God’s Love Never Fails – Psalms 36:7 says, “How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings." God's love is always present, even when we fall and stumble. 

This Changes Everything.

When Esther repeated the words, “I love you” to me, it changed everything. I walked a little taller. I spoke with more confidence. My life was filled with more joy. Why? The reason was that I was loved and valued in the eyes of another. 

When we grasp the amazing love of God, it changes everything much more deeply because he knows everything about us and still loves us. This changes what we think about God, others and ourselves. It changes our past, present and future. It changes our worship, work, family, charity, leisure… Everything!

For Further Discussion:

If you are in the Fairfax area on Wednesday night, I want to extend a special invitation to you to join us as we continue to discuss this incredible love God has for us. We will meet at Centerpointe Church at Fair Oaks at 7:00 PM. I would love to see you there.