A friend was sharing recently how she is learning to accept and receive God’s love in her life, something she hadn’t truly experienced before. Two days later, I read a short devotional “Let Me Love You,” which I found relatable to our conversation and full of great truth. It seems appropriate to share these thoughts with you this Valentine’s Day, which is also a perfect day to reflect on God’s great love for you personally!
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. –1 John 4:16 (NIV)
Let the three short, powerful words, “God is love,” sink into your heart. God is love! We can only love because God is love. We cannot earn God’s love. Because God is love, His love is freely available to all of us. When we experience God’s love in our lives, we know we live in Him and He lives in us. We are love too!
“You alone are the Lord. You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas and everything in them. You preserve them all, and the angels of heaven worship you.” –Nehemiah 9:6 (NLT)
Consider how God created everything in this world from the very beginning of time. He created the light, the skies, the waters, the land, the plants, the animals, and His ultimate creation, you and me, made in His image! What a wondrous outpouring of God’s love is found in everything that He created right from the start. God created everything in order to give Himself away in love! How powerful is that to consider?
And the Lord God made clothing from animal skins for Adam and his wife. –Genesis 3:21 (NLT)
Even after Adam and Eve wanted to become like God instead of being with Him and ate from the tree of knowledge, God demonstrated great love for them by providing animal skins for their clothing instead of the fig leaves they sewed together. He did not punish them in His wrath, rather because of God’s great love, He provided for them.
Why do we often struggle with accepting and receiving God’s love?
*Maybe because we cannot physically see God?
Instead we can focus on the ways we experience God’s presence in our lives.
*Maybe because we are focused on the worldly, human way of loving?
Instead we can experience the unconditional power of divine love.
*Maybe because we feel we are unworthy?
Instead we are reminded we are God’s children, made in His image.
*Maybe because we are too busy doing things?
Instead we can take time to just be still with God.
*Maybe because we think we have to be in control of our lives?
Instead we need to be reminded that God is sovereign.
What are ways we can receive God’s love and hear Him say, “Let me love you?”
*Reading Scripture to deepen and strengthen our relationship with God.
*Being in awe of the beauty of all God’s creations.
*Thanking God for orchestrating the events in our lives.
*Being open to see what signs of love God has in store for us.
*Having a heart of gratitude for the people God places in our paths who challenge us to go deeper in our relationship with Him.
*Spending time in solitude just being with Him without using words.
*Paying attention and listening to the still, small voice guiding our paths.
*Praising God and seeing goodness in everyone, knowing they are His children too.
When we receive God’s love, our hearts are open to seeing how God is working more in our lives. The fruits of the Spirit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control shine through in our lives. We are better able to love others with God’s agape love.
Be encouraged this week to…
…see the ways God is trying to say, “Let me love you.”
…be a receiver of God’s love, which is our life’s work.
…share God’s love you receive with others.
…know God is in control.
I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. –John 17:21 (NLT)
