A Secure Love

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? . . . For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 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.” (Romans 8:35, 38-39, NKJV)

Deep inside, all of us long to be loved. In fact, love is considered one of our basic human needs. To thrive, we need the love that comes from family, friendship, belonging, and community. We desire to be nurtured and cared for. That’s just the way God designed us. Everyone needs love.

Sometimes human love fails us. People disappoint, break our trust, and cause us pain. It’s not because love is broken but because people are broken. The best way for us to learn about love is to look at God. He is the source of love—He is love!

What makes God’s love so different from our human version of love? It would be impossible to describe all the ways His love exceeds any we might give or receive, but here are a few things Scripture shows us about His love.

It’s unconditional. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8, NKJV).

It’s faithful. “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23, ESV).

It’s immovable.  “’For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,’ says the LORD, who has compassion on you” (Isaiah 54:10, ESV).

It’s forgiving. “Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love” (Micah 7:18, ESV).

It’s fearless. “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love” (I John 4:18, NKJV).

It’s for everyone. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16, NKJV).

It’s forever. “The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: ‘Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you’” (Jeremiah 31:3, NKJV).

Some people have become so deeply mired in sin that they believe God would never choose to love them. Not true! The above scriptures prove otherwise. We may reject God, deny His existence, and refuse to serve Him, but it is impossible to make Him stop loving us. His whole mission of coming to earth was to love us unconditionally and redeem us from our sins. Never doubt that God loves you and will always love you. He will never stop reaching for you, ready to pull you from the muck and mire of sin.

God’s love is secure and will never fail. Trust His love.

Thank You, Lord, for loving me when I was so unlovable. Because of that love, You paid the supreme price by dying in my place to redeem me from my sins. Your love amazes me and overwhelms me. Its depth is beyond my understanding, but I am eternally thankful that You love me. Knowing this makes me feel safe and secure.

The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.

(From the hymn “The Love of God” by Frederick M. Lehman, 1917)