God loves you. A phrase that some of us might feel numb towards because we have heard so much, a phrase that might feel untrue or unfathomable, a phrase that maybe you are reading for the first time. Regardless of how it lands when you read it, it changes everything if it is true. Personally, I believe that God loves you, and you may like the sound of that, however, it really doesn’t matter what we think or believe as much as why we can believe it to be true. Where is the proof?

The Bible is full to the brim of stories displaying God’s love for His people, so I have condensed those into a few major themes.

He created us, in His image and He didn’t have to. Genesis 1:27 says “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” We were made in His image, given dignity from the very beginning. Job 33:4 says “The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” God does not need us, but we need Him. Only in Him do we have life, we could not and would not be here without Him. Thankfully, His love and creativity overflowed into His creation of mankind and the world.

Although we separate ourselves from Him, through our sin, He made a way for us to spend eternity with Him. Romans 3:23 says “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. Not one person on earth could earn the love of the Father, no one is righteous – except one, Jesus. Not only is He righteous, but His righteousness becomes our own when we accept Him. So even though we consistently fall short, because of the fact that He never fell short our lives are changed.

Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” His son, His choice, Jesus died for us so that we may live, and for FREE! We did not do anything to merit the gift that is salvation through Christ. In God’s LOVE and generosity and mercy he gifts us righteousness through Christ, all we have to do is accept it.

John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” God loves us so much, He sent his son, while we were still sinners, to die for us, so that we may spend eternity with Him forever. While we were actively running away from Him, He ran toward us. He endured the cross while we mocked Him as our choices put Him there. In His love He stayed, died for us, and made a way to bridge the gap sin created between us and God.

He sacrificed for our benefit, and our eternity can be secure through Christ. John 17:3 says, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” John 1:12 says, “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,” I struggle to think of how the Creator of the universe could love us more than by including us in His family, and offering us eternal life with Him.

This is the gospel, this is the GOOD NEWS! We can be coheirs in the kingdom of God! Titus 3:4-7 says, “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

Why does any of this matter?

If it is true that God loves me, why does that change my life?

I would challenge that once you know you are loved by God, everything you do no longer is about you but Him. I can trust Him, He loves me, my life is His! Friendships, relationships, work, hobbies, eating, drinking, exercise, everything is about him. What relief and freedom His love brings to not have to bear the burden of selfishness and control.

I am currently in a post-graduate fellowship program and one of our themes for the year is focusing on our belovedness. The acknowledgement and deep understanding of God’s love for us is what allows us to honor and enjoy Him all the days of our lives. God consistently describes His love as steadfast toward us. It is resolute, unchanging, and steady. It does not waver based upon our actions, it cannot be earned, and it is always consistent. He never leaves or forsakes us. In every season, every mountain and valley, God’s love for us is steadfast. No matter what you may be going through you can rest in God’s love for you. He calls you…

Blessed – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,” – Ephesians 1:3

Free – “We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.”- Romans 6:6-7

Beautiful – “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”- Psalm 139:13-14

Victorious – “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” – Romans 8:37

Chosen – “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love” – Ephesians 1:4

Forgiven – “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,” – Ephesians 1:7

Understanding our belovedness changes our identity. We are not defined by who anyone says we are, by our failures or accomplishments, or even who we think we are. We are defined by our Maker, as people created in his likeness, for his glory, out of His love. So if you get anything from reading this blog, I hope it is the simple and complex truth that God loves you.

Macy is from Orlando, FL, and currently resides in Nashville, TN. Keep up with Macy on Instagram at @macy_laegeler 🙂