Love Story
August 2007
“My dad called me “stupid” more times than I can count.”
“My mother often told me she wished I’d never been born!”
Decades later, we still feel the sting of those verbal rejections. I am not acceptable. Not lovable. Maybe we even nailed the door to our feelings shut. I won’t let anyone hurt me. That’s why, when we read about God’s love in the Bible, the words register in our brain but don’t make the journey to our hearts.
He can’t be talking about me.
But He is. John, one of Jesus’ apostles, assures us that’s true.
“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1)
Think of it: God’s love for us isn’t just a token of heavenly kindness. It’s “great!” Other translations call it, “An incredible quality of love…foreign to the human heart.” 1 Can’t you imagine John shaking his head with wonder as he wrote those words?
Not only that; the Almighty has “lavished” His love on us! That means He’s given it to us in abundance, liberally, extravagantly and generously.
His love isn’t fickle. He won’t take it back on a whim. He “has permanently bestowed (His love) upon us.” 2
Others may have called us “stupid”. The Lord renamed we who have embraced Christ as His very own children; His born ones. ”
Personalize the passage. Write out 1 John 3:1 substituting the personal pronoun “I” for “we” and “us”.
Paraphrase the passage. Put it in your own words. Here’s how I’d do that.
”When my Father calls me “His very own child,” I feel as though He’s covering me, inside and out, with His love. And “child of God” is exactly who I am.”
Pray meditatively about what you’ve learned. Think carefully about the words. Invite the Holy Spirit to replace ugly, untrue ideas about who you are, with His eternal truth. Ask Him to make it part of how you think and act.
Here are the kinds of thoughts that may come to your mind.
The God who owns the universe loves me incredibly? In my wildest dreams, I couldn’t have imagined that was true!
He’s not miserly with his love; He’s generous. He slathers and lathers and lavishes His love on me. He doesn’t scrimp because His love will never run out.
He always loves me—even when I doubt Him. Even when I put up walls and try to hide behind them.
I am now and will always be His very own, beloved child.
Practice God’s love. Think of one way to lavish God’s love on someone because He’s lavished His love on you. Then do it!
1 from The Amplified Bible and The New Testament an expanded translation by Kenneth S. Wuest.
2 The New Testament an expanded translation by Kenneth S. Wuest.
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