God loves us. Most of us know this. But how many of us feel it? Paul knew that understanding God’s love was a difficult proposition. He believed supernatural revelation was required even to get started (Ephesians 3:16,18). God’s love is so large and our comprehension so small. How can we ever truly understand His love for us?
Part of our problem is that we interpret God’s love through the lens of human love. If we understand God’s love to be anything like the distorted, damaging “love” we’ve experienced from an abuser, or even the relatively good love of family and friends (at best limited, at worst tainted by wrong motives), we’ll forever feel cold about God’s love for us.
But there’s another way. Through the help of the Holy Spirit we can begin to grasp God’s love not by likeness to, but in contrast to, human love. Try this exercise: Think of the most loving thing someone has done for you. Even as great as their act of love was, it’s tiny in contrast to God’s love for you. How tiny? Picture a grain of sand sitting next to a skyscraper. Picture a microbe next to Jupiter. Picture the tiniest trickle alongside the mightiest of rivers, or a strand of cotton next to a mile of fabric. Imagine the faintest scent against the strongest perfume, the quietest chirp against the loudest of thunderclaps. Compare a water drop to the Pacific Ocean, the flicker of a candle to the blaze of the sun, a single leaf to a forest of trees. That’s how tiny human love is, and how great God’s love is!
The truth is that God’s love can never be fully grasped, which means that all contrasts fall short! (Ephesians 3:19). It’s bigger than you could ever imagine.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Exodus 19:1-25
More:
Read Psalm 36:5 and consider what it reveals about God’s love.
Next:
Do you struggle to feel God’s love for you personally? What comparison can you think of to grasp God’s love for you?
godlove on February 14, 2015 at 6:31 am
Praise be to GOD our Father Almighty for His indescribable, unfathomable Love for us, despite our rebellious nature, and which is manifested in the ultimate sacrifice of His Son for our salvation. Truly, we may try to emulate this love, but we can never love like Him!
Sheridan Voysey on February 16, 2015 at 4:22 am
Amen.
Gary Shultz on February 14, 2015 at 7:57 am
It’s nice just to let those descriptions of God’s love soak in and stand in humbled awe. What is even as astounding is God takes our little, tiny spark of love for Him and holds it as valuable as anything on earth. He moves us to love Him better and seeks ways to reward this ever so small gesture He has cultivated. How can this be? Thank you.
Sheridan Voysey on February 16, 2015 at 4:23 am
‘What is even as astounding is God takes our little, tiny spark of love for Him and holds it as valuable as anything on earth.’ << This!
Kathy @ In Quiet Places on February 14, 2015 at 10:41 am
God’s love truly is too wonderful too grasp, and I am spending my life learning more and more about the depth of His love for me.
Sheridan Voysey on February 16, 2015 at 4:24 am
I have a hunch that will be a good part of our job description in heaven too, Kathy.
amit1 on February 17, 2015 at 7:34 am
I am experiencing this love as am getting to know Jesus Christ more. I am not originally from a Christian background and I had to come to an end of myself before I saw this love manifest in my spirit. Now that I have tasted little bit of this I want more!
Tom Felten on February 17, 2015 at 9:52 am
amit1, your experience matches my own. Praise God that helps us come to an end of ourselves and fall into His embrace. What amazing love He’s revealed to us! John 15:13.