During Valentine’s Day each year, nearly $18.6 billion dollars are spent—$1.6 billion of which is spent on candy and $4.4 billion spent on jewelry! We’re so driven by consumerism these days that we can come to believe that romantic love revolves around gifts. We can even begin to think that the best way to know if someone really cares about us is if they’re willing to buy something we want (and even better, something really expensive!).
Unfortunately, we often apply this same principle to God—assuming that He best shows His love for us by giving us what we want when we want it. When we get the goods, we’re confident of God’s love. But when we don’t, when things don’t go our way, or if we don’t receive what we want, we’re tempted to wonder if God really loves us. Although I am loath to admit it, I am definitely guilty of this tendency. While gifts can be a demonstration of love, they’re not the only way we can be sure of someone’s affections, nor are they the best way.
The best way to know that someone loves you is if they’re willing to suffer for you. And that’s precisely what we read in Romans 5:8, that God demonstrated His love for us most clearly not by giving us a diamond ring or a shiny new toy, but by sending His only beloved Son to die for us—something more precious by far. This is a calling that Jesus took up willingly for the sake of the sheep that He loves. For us. Jesus said, “No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily” (John 10:18).
The next time we begin to wonder if God really loves us, may we look to the cross. God loves us enough to suffer for us. There’s no greater nor better symbol of true love.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Luke 1:26-56
More:
Read Matthew 27:32-44 to be reminded of the harshness of Jesus’ suffering and the true depth of His love for you.
Next:
Do you ever find yourself doubting God’s love or goodness when things don’t go your way? What comes to mind when you consider His love for you?
Gary Shultz on June 7, 2015 at 6:54 am
I think your correct. I also think a lot of trouble comes from perception of what we want instead of understanding God knows exactly what is best for us. Often we want a moment, God wants a life and as you pointed out, He has invested heavy to insure that for us. Thanks
praise the lord on June 7, 2015 at 7:44 am
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. This was the plan from Genesis 3:14 So the Lord God said to the serpent……15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman and between your seed and her Seed: He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel. The purpose is Romans 5:19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one man’s obedience man will be made righteous.
I always thought that Genesis 3:15 was an odd way of expressing the promise of our salvation. When I saw the movie the “Passion”, where Jesus is in the garden praying the snake is slithering closer and loser Christ slowly stands and You hear the crunch as He stomps on the head of the snake. It all of a sudden made sense to me. This is what He did on the cross He crushed Satan. As I watched the movie I kept thinking don’t do this You don’t deserve what is happening. I guess I my thinking was like Peters. As I left the theater, I felt nauseous. I realized that I had no idea what love is. I thought I knew what love was but God I really don’t have a clue do I. Isaiah 55:8 For My thoughts are not your thoughts nor are your ways My ways says the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways, and My thoughts that your thoughts.
The problem is Matthew 16:23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for You are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of man. See the enemy is not flesh and blood. The enemy is satan. And because of satan we are not mindful of the things of God. We now have the Holy Spirit within us and through the fruit of the Holy Spirit we are able to be victorious and live holy lives allowing us to enter the kingdom of God. Our goal becomes Christ goal and that is to bring others into the kingdom. Our focus is no longer on ourselves. When the focus is on us then the enemy is in charge.
Mike Wittmer on June 7, 2015 at 11:50 pm
So true! 1 Peter 1:18-19–“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”