Yesterday, we praised God for being a Lover of His people. His constant, patient love for the people He calls to Himself is extraordinary! It deserves praise- long and loud!

• I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. (Jeremiah 31:3b ESV)

The Creator, who specifically engineered me, loves me. Me. There is something so vulnerable and intimate about that statement. The God who knows every fiber of my being, every thought in my head, and every desire of my heart, LOVES me. Unconditionally. Infinitely.    
    
It His delight to steadfastly love me. What else could I boast in? What earthly honor or accomplishment could compete with His love?

• but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD." (Jeremiah 9:24 ESV)

My good Lord overflows with steadfast love. When I call upon Him, He answers with words of affection. His love constrains anger that I deserve. His faithfulness results in gracious mercy. Gratitude bubbles up from my toes as I contemplate those truths.

• For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. ... For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. ... But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. (Psalm 86:5, 13, 15 ESV)

My Forgiving God does not reject my prayer. He hears my cry BECAUSE of His love.

• Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me! (Psalm 66:20 ESV)

Life can be hard, and I can be tempted to blame God instead of leaning into Him. But God SEES my distress. He never leaves me alone without care.

• I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have known the distress of my soul, (Psalm 31:7 ESV)

Because God loves me, He keeps His covenant with me. A covenant dependent upon the reliability of the great and awesome God is unbreakable. He keeps His promise and He keeps me! ALL because of love.

• And I said, "O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, (Nehemiah 1:5 ESV)

Our loving God sent Jesus for the whole world BECAUSE of love. He also sent Jesus for me! I was drowning in sin and separation from my Creator, and He sent His Son to rescue me. THIS is love. Jesus laid down His life for me and in so doing gave me life.

• "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 ESV)

• In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:9-10 ESV)

Because my Lord loves me extravagantly, I can love. I plant my feet in Him and let His love flow out to others. I don’t have to FEEL love in order TO love when I abide in His love.

• Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ... So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. ... We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:11, 16, 19 ESV)

I cannot escape this generous, pursuing love. It surrounds me.

• He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD. (Psalm 33:5 ESV)

• The earth, O LORD, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statutes! (Psalm 119:64 ESV)

• Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. (Psalm 36:5 ESV)

My Lord’s steadfast, stalwart, stay-strong-in-the-storm love is the only place I will place my trust. My heart has little choice but to rejoice in the beauty of the gift.

• But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. (Psalm 13:5 ESV)

So I give thanks! How about you? Do you want to join me? Just think, dear one, the Lord loves us! Every single bit of us is known and loved. How could we respond differently than thanksgiving.

• Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! (1 Chronicles 16:34 ESV)

• Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. (Psalm 63:3 ESV)

Prayer

Oh Lord, who loves me, thank You. I know that my heart wanders and my thoughts rebel. Yet, You still love me. In fact, You delight in loving me. How is that even possible? It astounds me.

I will boast in Your Love. I want to yell it from the rooftops. You love me! Thank You for talking about Your love with such generous words: abounding, steadfast, great. The quantity of love relieves my soul and makes my hope sing.

Thank You Lord, for hearing my cry and answering my prayers. I am so grateful for Your attention and that You see my struggles and distresses. Your love means You care and Your compassion fuels Your action. You keep covenant with me because of who You are. I am so grateful.

If I ever doubt (and I confess to You that I do sometimes, please forgive me) all I have to remember is Jesus. He physically represents the depth and realness of Your love. BECAUSE of Your loving care of Your creation, You offer us salvation through Your Son. You didn’t wait for me to love You, but You began the loving. You loved first, and provided an example of how I should love.

Thank You that I cannot escape Your love. It stretches to the Heavens and reaches to the depths of the sea. The earth is full of Your love. Please help me never be blinded to it or distracted from it.

Your steadfast love is the BEST thing in my life- the very best. Thank You Lord. I praise You. I extol Your name. I glorify Your heart. If I was to continue thanking You through every breath I draw, I would not come to the end of the praise I have for Your love.

Amen.

My dear friend- do you ever feel unloved? Maybe relationships are strained or you are in a lonely season. Moving. Separation. Death. Illness. Many distresses can isolate us, but here is the thing. NOTHING can separate us from our Lord and His Love. No matter what, you are not unloved.

YOU ARE LOVED.

Today, I encourage you to rest in the arms of your loving Savior. He will never stop loving You.