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God’s love for you
We naturally tend to be drawn to people who love us, so why do we sometimes find it difficult to go to God in prayer? It can be because we need a fresh revelation of His love for us! Paul prayed that the Ephesian church would ‘be able to take in…the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love’ (Ephesians 3:18 MSG). The word ‘extravagant’ means going above and beyond all that’s expected or deserved. The truth is, God couldn’t love you any more than He does right now.
If we want an idea of how much God loves us, we should think of the cross. Even if you were the only person who ever lived, Jesus would have died just for you. And you don't need to earn His love. You can't. It's completely unconditional. You didn’t do anything to deserve it, and when you mess up, He doesn't withhold His love or stop loving you as much. ‘Absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love’ (Romans 8:39 MSG). When you accept His unconditional love, you can feel secure in acknowledging your weaknesses and seek His help, grow strong, and use the talents He's given you. When you believe God loves you based on who you are in Christ, you have the ultimate self-esteem – born of God’s esteem for you. And since His is the only ‘perfect love’, it removes your ‘fear’.
So, what are you afraid of? That you won’t get what you need or you'll lose something you have? John tells us: ‘His perfect love for us eliminates all dread…If we are afraid, it…shows…we are not fully convinced that he really loves us’ (1 John 4:18 TLB). Ask God today for a fresh revelation of His love for you, bearing in mind that whatever He loves, He prizes, protects, and provides for.
What Now?
Do you know someone who’s unsure that God really loves them? Try sharing today’s reading with them, and pray that God’s perfect love would surround them and remove all their doubts.
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