Some of you may remember the old Johnny Lee song about
“looking for love in all the wrong places”. Too often in life, this
is exactly what we do. We search for
love from our relationships, our parents, our children, our friends, even from
those we work with. We look for love in online dating services, internet chat,
from our Facebook friends. We try to fill the lack of love in our lives with
endless activities, gathering of more material possessions, creative outlets or
living vicariously through the lives of others on TV, romance novels or
websites and blogs.

We live in a society that is longing. Longing for peace, for
prosperity, for significance, for answers – longing for love. The love we all
long for can only be found in God.

And God loves us all so much! When our lives are consumed by
demands and our souls are hurt and lonely, when we cling to hope but our needs
aren’t yet met, when life throws us a difficult curve ball we weren’t expecting,
it can be easy to lose sight of God’s love. But the Bible speaks at length
about just how much God loves every one of us.

“The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving
sin and rebellion” (Numbers 14:18)

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures
forever.” (1 Chronicles 16:34)

“O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven
or on earth—you who keep

your covenant of love with your servants who continue
wholeheartedly in your way.” (2 Chronicles 6:14)

“The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full
of his unfailing love” (Psalm 33:5)

“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be
removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.” (Isaiah 54:10)

God’s love is abounding, enduring, unfailing. The qualities
of God’s love are so unlike the love we get used to in the world. The Bible
shows that God’s love seeks to forgive, redeem and protect those he loves.

“For the LORD loves the just and will not forsake his
faithful ones. They will be protected forever” (Psalm 37:28)

“Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for
his compassions never fail.” (Lamentations 3:22)

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in
mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is
by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:4-5)

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one
and only Son into the world that we might live through him.” (1 John 4:9)

Some may ask what is required to receive God’s love. Too
often, we are taught that we must be better, do more good, go to a particular
church, follow rules, change our life or otherwise qualify to be loved by God.
That is not the truth presented in the Bible.
The Bible states that God’s love is a free gift (Romans 6:23) and that
it is not received by doing good works or performance (Ephesians 2:9). God
simply asks us to believe in His Son Jesus Christ and to love Him.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only
Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
(John 3:16)

“No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me
and have believed that I came from God.” (John 16:27)

“Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who
loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him
and show myself to him.” (John 14:21)

“To love him with all your heart, with all your
understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself
is more important than all burnt offerings

and sacrifices.” (Mark 12:33)

God’s love is amazing! It is life-changing and inescapable. God’s
promises become yours to claim and His power and good are endless. Once you
have accepted Him, you are together forever with him.

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may
have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high
and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses
knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
(Ephesians 3:17-19)

“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who
loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope,
encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” (2
Thessalonians 2:15-17)

“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from
his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about
tomorrow and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away.” (Romans 8:38,
NLT)

Remember today that God loves you.

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About David Edmisten

David Edmisten is the President of justopenthebook.com, an
online ministry encouraging others to develop a closer relationship with God by
opening and studying His word. After
years of living in the world’s ways, this self- described “heavy metal guy” found
and accepted Jesus Christ as His savior in 2005. With God’s help, he has overcome addictions
and learned to live by faith to serve God.

After more than ten years in the financial services
industry, most recently as a Financial Advisor, David felt called by God to
leave the corporate world and start on online Christian ministry. A native Californian, David and his family
moved sight unseen to Cumming, GA
(north of Atlanta)
in 2008. David lives with his wife
Kristy and their 4 young children, where they enjoy homeschooling, outdoor
activities, music, games and family fun.
David has earned the Accredited Asset Management Specialist designation
from the College for Financial Planning and is a graduate of the University of California,
Santa Barbara. He is a member of High Tech Ministries in Atlanta and has led small
groups in men’s and financial ministries.
He enjoys playing guitar, writing, speaking, and sharing God’s
word. He is also author of the Faith
Takers blog (http://justopenthebook.com/faithtakers),
which is the journal of his walk of faith since leaving the corporate world to
follow God.Learn more at:
http://www.justopenthebook.com

http://justopenthebook.com/faithtakers

http://www.justopenthebook.com/forum

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