John 3.16 (NIV®)
“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.”
“I love you”. Those are not usually flippant words between individuals. When someone says they love you, it is a connection. It is a place to belong. It is community in a personal and meaningful way. At least that’s how I see it.
Honestly, I don’t remember hearing it said that often when I was younger. I remember wondering about it when my grandmother never said it. My parents rarely said it, unless I said it first. I didn’t really hear it much from anyone. I guess that was how folks were back then. No one really said it OUT LOUD but you can be sure, there was plenty of love to go around.
How often do we tell someone that we love them? They know we do because we always keep coming back. Right? We want to spend time together. We want to talk. We do things and spend time that we would never do with, or for, someone we didn’t like or didn’t care about. We know they love us because they allow us to hang around. We know by each others actions that there is love whether it is ever said out loud or not. So just because someone doesn’t regularly SAY they love you, out loud, in person, doesn’t mean they don’t.
Although I would love to hear Him say it out loud, I know God loves me through His actions, and just as He loves me, He loves you. We see it in three ways. First, He made us. He didn’t just make Adam and Eve and everything else gets created because of the way He set things up. Scripture says He knit us in the womb. We are individually, miraculously, and wonderfully made (Psalm 139). Second, He saved us. Christ told us He loved us when He willingly went to the cross. We may not read John 3:16 every day, but we know He loves us because He gave Himself up to save us. Third, He keeps us. We know He loves us by His companionship and His provisioning. He provides everything we need for life and Godliness (2 Peter 1:3).
We remember His presence when we see a beautiful sunset. We see His involvement when a difficult situation turns out perfectly. We experience His companionship when the Holy Spirit nudges us and speaks to us in that inaudible voice. The active participation of Christ in our lives is evidence of His love for us. We recognize it when we look for it. If we don’t look, we might miss it.
We are made, saved, and kept. If you are a Christ follower, that is your story. That’s our story. So let’s do three things this week. One, make a point to show love through your actions to those around you. Sometimes the smallest things make the biggest difference. Two, tell those you love that you love them without waiting on them to say it first. Even though it is not a requirement, it’s nice to hear every now and then. They will cherish your words and remember them when you’re not around to repeat them. Third, take time to rest in Christ’s love for you. He made you, saved you, and keeps you. Notice His activity in your life and tell Him you love Him too.