As I was thinking about my love for God, I didn’t know even where to begin to share that with you. So, I decided that through my upcoming articles, we will take a look at the many reasons we love our God and how to increase that love.
Today, I want to take you to 1 John 4:19…
“We love because He first loved us.”
This seemed to be the place to begin. Why do we love God? Because He first loved us! God, the creator, loved me before I was even born! He is the one who “wove me in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13). Our God was there with us from the very beginning. As a Momma, I think back to when my children were newborn babies, and I would hold them in my arms and just stare at them. I would be amazed by and enthralled with how perfect they were. From the top of their cowlick-filled heads to their tiny eyelashes, all the way down to their perfect little toes with their teeny tiny toenails. The love I had for them could be overwhelming in those moments. Then, when you stop and think about the fact that our God was involved in that. Our God loves those babies, too! Even more than we do!!
As I was thinking about the love that God has for me, I remembered that right here in 1 John 4:8 we are told that “God is love”. That isn’t just how He feels; it’s who He is!! He IS love!! Why do I love God? He IS love!! You can read thousands of romance novels and never see genuine love. Why? Because God is love! Do you want to know what love looks like? You have to know God.
We can read through the Old Testament and see God at work. We see how He continually took care of His people. Why? Because He IS love! Even when He allowed hard situations to happen to them, He still loved them because He IS love. Even when He allowed them to be taken into captivity, He still loved them because He IS love. Even when He allowed them to be tested or even killed, He still loved them because He IS love.
Then we get to the New Testament, and we see the greatest example of love we will ever know. John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” Why do I love God? Because God is love, He sent us Jesus.
Again, you can read through the Old Testament on your quest to know God, but as you do, keep in mind that God IS love, and His plan all along was to express His love by sending Jesus. Jesus says in John 8:19, “And so they were saying to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.” It’s that last sentence I want us to look at. “If you knew Me, you would know My Father also.” When we keep in mind that God sent Jesus to declare His love for us, we realize the importance of this sentence. The Pharisees don’t believe in Jesus. They don’t believe that He is the Son of God, sent by His Father as the Messiah to save His people. These are men who claim to know God. They are the ones that would be considered knowledgeable of God. Jesus tells them since they don’t know Him, Jesus, then they don’t know God.
For us to love God, Who IS love, we MUST know Jesus! For us to have an understanding of the love God has for us, we MUST know Jesus. Then, the more you get to know Jesus, the deeper your love for God. Why do I love God? Because He first loved me! Why do I love God? Because He showed love by giving Jesus to die in my place. Why do I love God? Just get to know Jesus, and you will love Him too.
