God Already Told Us

The Saturday before our Vacation Bible School started, several of us were at the church building working on decorating our rooms and preparing for VBS to start the next night.  The lady who was in charge of the puppets is the mother of the little girl in my 2 & 3 year old Bible class.  She is a very sweet little girl and I love being around her.  Her parents are both very faithful Christians and they are doing a good job in raising their daughter. 

Anyway, my young student was there with her mother.  At one point I walked by them and told my little student, “I love you.”  She looked up at me and smiled.  Then she said, “I know that, Mrs. Robin.  You already told me yesterday.”  Of course, she meant Wednesday night – not yesterday.  This was a Saturday and I had not seen her the day before.  But you get the point. 

She knew I loved her because I had already told her.  She was quite confident in this too.  I was so happy to hear her say that!  I want my students to know that I love them because I do.  I think it is very important that our children learn from experience at a very early age that being with the church is a very loving place to be.

There are many, many verses in the Bible that speak of love.  We can find passages on loving our neighbor, loving our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, loving all men and even loving our enemies.  And the verses on love are some of the most beautiful parts of the Bible.  The love I’m thinking about tonight, however, is the love that God has for us and the love we have for him. 

Remember the song, “Jesus Love Me.”  The song says, “Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so.”  Isn’t wonderful that we can know that Jesus loves us – because the Bible does tell us so?  Thank you, God for your Holy Word that gives us this beautiful message.  In the words of that sweet little girl, we can confidently say “I know Jesus loves me; He already told me that.” What a comforting feeling!

         Let us consider a few verses that help us know and understand the great love of our God.  Of course we all know John 3:16.  It is probably the most quoted verse from the Bible.  This verse alone tells us of the love of God; but there are so many others. 

Deuteronomy 7:9 – “Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments.”

John 13:34 – “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”

Romans 8:35 – “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine or nakedness, or peril or sword?”

Romans 8:39 – “..nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

           Oh, there are so many times – when God tells us He loves us. Time will just not permit to share them all – though these verses just fill my heart up – knowing what He sacrificed – what Christ sacrificed because of His great love toward us.  I just have to share a couple more –

I John 3:1a – “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called the children of God!”

Revelation 1:5 – “and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood.”

         Doesn’t reading these verses give your spirits a boost?  Take a few minutes to really stop and think about the intensity of God’s love for us – for you personally.  Bring it home to yourself as an individual – for that is how He loves us … ALL – but individually.  He does not love us because of our last name – or where we go to school or what kind of sports team we are on – or what color our skin is – or what kind of club we belong to.  He loves you – He loves me because of who HE is first and then because of who we are.  He sent Jesus to the cross for us.  Christ washed us from our sins with His own blood.  God calls us HIS children.  Nothing – not one thing can separate us from the love of God!  When somebody tells us God loves us – we can look at them with a smile and confidently say – “I know.  He already told me that.” 
         Heavenly Father, I am so thankful for our love and your tender mercy.  I am thankful for your Word that we have to learn and study from.  I am thankful for your precious Son who has washed me clean in His blood.  Help me to realize the joy I have in your love.  Please help Father, help to learn to share this great love with others.  In your Son’s name, Amen.

Always remember – HE loves you.

Christ above all things,

Robin