God Still Loves You

I was going through archives of the Christian Perspective and I came across one dated 12-14-2006 titled “God Loves You” http://christian-perspective.blogspot.com/2006/12/god-loves-you.html

This article speaks about God’s immense love for us that is manifested in the lives of the early Christians in Rome. What struck me as I read was the bold and prophetic way in which it ends:

So as we go into this New Year, what shall we say to 2007 and all of its challenges? What message do we carry into the unknown? I say we go into the New Year armed with the word of God passed on to the early Christians by the apostle Paul “If God is for us who can be against us? Nothing can separate us from the love of God”. 2007 will see us become more aware of God’s amazing love for us, in Jesus’ name. Amen. God bless you all.

As I read these words I could not help but reconcile them to the reality of the year 2007. Ultimately I asked myself: Did the year 2007 see me become more aware of God’s amazing love for me? The answer here is a resounding yes and I pray that it is the same for you as well.

But what was the impetus for this increased awareness? A thousand words would not be enough to tell the story of all of the wonderful things that God did for me, no matter how judiciously those words are used. But perhaps the greatest thing of all was the grace to answer a calling.

For many are called but few are chosen Matthew 22:14

You see in 2006 I was content to do God’s work but from a level I was comfortable with. I had been called on a journey to the mountains peak, but upon that journey I had come upon a pass.; A pass that was level in the shadow of the mountain. And here I thought…I would stay. I would do the work at the midpoint of the mountain. I would cultivate this modest piece of land and feed the sheep from the grasses and streams rather than continue the tasking journey up that mountain. I had settled for a compromise with what my strength would allow.

But we serve a God that recognizes that we have been called to greater heights and cares enough to call us out of complacency and into a life of purpose. That time and again God did not give up on me but rather saw fit to call me reaffirmed his love for me. That he gave me the grace to answer fills my heart with thanks.

As you read these words today I want you to know that God will never give up on you; he still loves you.

Last year I said “God loves you” and this year I say “God still loves you”. I have inserted the word still for emphasis on the resilience of his love for you. I emphasize God’s love for you my friend because God loves you and the enemy does not.

The bible calls the devil the father of lies. When children of God are faced with challenges he begins to chip away at their faith. Most times the devil will not bother telling you there is no God because he knows that you know better. Rather he will tell you that God does not care about your situation or that God is preoccupied with more pressing matters. But friends, there is nothing farther from the truth.
As we enter into this New Year I want to tell you that there is nothing more pressing to God right now than you. You mean so much to him. He knew you before you were born. He knew what name would be given to you. He knew what schools you would attend or that you would not attend any. God knew the scores you would have on your exams before you ever took them. He knew your favorite food before you ever tasted it. How often you would clip your nails and the things that you would be attracted to? He knew all of these before your parents set eyes on each other.

I tell you these things my friend not to make small of God’s equal attention to the details of world events but that you will see the level of intimacy that God desires to have with you. That you will know, that a God who knew you so intimately even before you were conceived loves you and will be there to help you regardless of what may come your way.

Have you ever seen the hurt on a loving parents’ face when the child says “You don’t love me!” In the 40th Chapter of Isaiah we get a similar reaction from God when the Israelites begin to doubt his love:

“Israel, why then do you complain that the lord doesn’t know your troubles or care if you suffer injustice? Don’t you know? Haven’t you heard? The Lord is the everlasting God; he created the entire world. He never grows tired or weary. No one understands his thoughts. He strengthens those who are weak and tired. Even those who are young grow weak; young people fall exhausted. But those who trust in the Lord for help will find their strength renewed. They will rise on wings like Eagles; they will run and not get weary; they will walk and not grow weak”.

Brothers and sisters, I write this at a wonderful time in my life: Very soon I will be departing for a visit to Nigeria after many years away from home. Years that have seen a young person grow weak and fall exhausted…but years that have seen that person trust in the lord for help. It is with a renewed strength that I soar across this bridge that spans the Atlantic to a future that God has prepared. I consider my life evidence of his goodness.

So as we go into 2008 the enemy’s reign is one year shorter and we can expect various obstacles thrown our way. But when all the months are through, 2008 would have seen our trust in God’s amazing love for us strengthened…and through that strengthening we would have risen on wings like Eagles. We will run through the months and not get weary; we will walk through the days and not grow weak in Jesus’ precious name. Amen