Knowing God’s Love

 

“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” *

The sound of the ocean has been helping to put Al and me to sleep every night, even though we live far away from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans! Sleeping post-surgery has been sporadic for both the patient and his care-giver. A little machine that has several types of sounds has been most helpful, especially the sound of the tide washing up along the shore and then flowing back to the sea.

When the machine starts, I imagine myself lying prone on an air mattress, floating on the surface of the water and being carried along with the ebb and flow of the tide. The sun shines down on me, and the spray of the ocean is cool and refreshing. Anxiety, nervous energy, worry seem to drift away, replaced by a peaceful sleep—something so greatly appreciated and needed!

Just as the sounds of the ocean have a calming effect, remembering the vastness of God’s love does the same thing, bringing rest and peace. “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love.” (Psalm 103:8) Not only is His love described as being higher than the heavens are above the earth, it is also abundant, overflowing to those who come to Him in faith.

But how can we know beyond the shadow of a doubt that He loves us individually, personally, fully? Two things happened during my college years which helped solidify my faith.

As a new Christian, I was thrust into a secular environment, one that shook the values and training my parents had given me. One day the thought occurred to me, “What if this isn’t true? What if everything I have believed about God and Jesus isn’t true?” 

Then I remember thinking to myself, “Well, if it isn’t true, why am I so happy? Why has my life turned around? Why do I now feel a sense of fulfillment and purpose? It has to be true. I know God loves me.” With that, a feeling of comfort and assurance came over me.

Today, years later, I am even more convinced of it. From birth, I have been steeped in the knowledge that God loves me and have been immersed in His love, even though I wasn’t always aware of it.

Our parents consistently showed my siblings and me unconditional love.  Along with their love and with the familiar words “Jesus loves me! this I know, for the Bible tells me so…” from that powerful childhood song embedded in my heart, it was easy to accept Jesus into my life at the age of nineteen.

Then there was the Bible as Literature class which I chose as an elective one quarter. It was strictly taught as literature; however, the assignment for the final exam was to pick a theme that recurred in the Bible from cover to cover and write a term paper on that theme.

It was a daunting assignment; however I finally decided to write about the love of God demonstrated throughout the Old and New Testaments. Writing the term paper provided a wonderful opportunity to spend time in the Bible, searching for examples and scriptures proving His love for all of His children. 

After it was finished, I had even more reassurance that yes, it was true, God really loved me! One of the pivotal verses in my term paper was from the New Testament, John 3:16: “For God so loved that world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

That verse had already rung true in my heart. We are the “whoever” in that verse: you, me and all of God’s children. It is by our faith in Jesus as the Son of God that we are saved. Knowing that, we can stand strong in the knowledge that He died for us and loves us with a never-ending love.

“Oh, the deep, deep love of Jesus—

Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free—

Rolling as a mighty ocean

In its fullness over me!

Underneath me, all around me

Is the current of His love—

Leading onward, leading homeward

To His glorious rest above…”

(“Oh, the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus,” S. Trevor Francis)

* Psalm 103:11 NIV.