Guess How Much I Love You?

At house church this week, during corporate worship the leader invited us each to sing (or speak) our own words of praise and worship to the Lord. I began to tell the Lord if I would gather all the beautiful jewels in the world and bring them to him as a token of my love for him it would not be enough. Without missing a beat I heard him say to my spirit the value of all the jewels in the world were not equal to the value of his love for me. The ferocity of his love for me, particularly in that moment, took my breath away. I am so loved by the Father and I love because he first loved me.

I am my Father’s favourite and I know, without a doubt, you are his favourite, too; not only does he love you, he likes you too.

Last year during a weekend outreach at a large carnival and local fair, more than 300 people came to our tent because of the sign that offered ‘Free Spiritual Reading’. The Bible says God’s thoughts toward us are as numerous as the grains of sand on the sea and by working in a team 3 or 4 we ask Father God to reveal something for the guest sitting in front of us. Time and again, Father God wanted to make them aware of how they are loved beyond measure and he knows them intimately. The thoughts of God revealed to us are always pleasant and always good and most people believe it because of the information we knew (by divine knowledge) about their personal life.

I was surprised how frequently the message was so basic – you are loved by God. I asked the Lord about it, thinking I must be hearing the wrong thing but he said to me, “If they don’t know I love them, then they won’t believe my plans for them are good.” Right. Love comes first.

Some friends of mine are contemplating divorce. It’s a tough place to be. I know because I’ve been there and well-intentioned Christians offer helpful advice, such as, “God hates divorce.” Judgement abounds when others are not living by the law, but we forget the law was fulfilled in Christ and more than God hates divorce, he loves you. He loves the husband and the wife. He loves the one initiating the separation and he loves the one who will do anything to keep it together. God loves, period.

A friend was concerned for another friend who was had scheduled an abortion and asked me what to do. God said to tell the mother, she is loved and there is more to life. Father God wanted to speak life to the mother. After the encounter the Lord said to me to make an offer to drive the expectant mother to the abortion clinic. I argued about it because I am pro-life but the Lord said to me the mother would need to know she is still loved by Father God, and abortion wouldn’t change it. God loves, period.

Another friend was a heavy drug user when she became a Christian. It took her 8 years to realize it was wrong. If I had known her 8 years ago, I would have judged but I asked the Lord about it. I mean – sex, drugs & rock n’ roll – those are the “big” sins. The Lord told me he was wooing her, and speaking to her heart for those years, the behaviour was secondary to the heart. God love, period.

One of my favourite children’s story is “Guess How Much I Love You”. Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare are comparing their love for each other. I still can’t read the story without tears welling up in my eyes.

There is a similar story that speaks of a love like that. It’s called the Bible and it says, Father God loved you, but he was separated because of sin so he made a plan to sacrifice his son, Jesus so we can be reconciled and live forever with Father God.

I asked Jesus how much He loved me.
He answered, "This much."
Then He stretched out His arms and died for me.

 God loves, period. You are loved, and you are his favourite.