You may remember this game as a child, picking up a flower and pulling the petals off one by one to determine if the person you were thinking about loved you or not. I’m not sure about you, but I got pretty good at counting petals before I picked the flower to ensure I got the answer I wanted to hear. Looking back, this was so silly. But we so desperately wanted to know if he or she did or didn’t love us, right? Try to believe it was possible that our affections were returned, that we would be found worthy of love.
Do you believe God loves you? If you believe the Word, then the answer is yes. Simple, right? Insert eye roll…of course it isn’t that simple. It should be, but it isn’t. We know the darkest parts of ourselves. And we look at ourselves through all those layers of current and past sins. And the enemy of our soul chuckles as he reminds us of all of them. Then, we are left with a feeling of shame and a question of how could anyone love me. But God looks at us through the cleansing blood of Jesus. In Romans it tells us that nothing can separate us from the love of God. It goes on to say that this love is revealed in Christ Jesus. What is revealed is that He was beaten, whipped, hung from a cross and ultimately died to fulfill the law that required a blood sacrifice for the sins we committed. Also, when our sins fell on Him, God turned from Him. He endured moments without His Father, moments He didn’t earn Himself through a sinful life. He did all of this for each one of us. And each one of us includes you. Your sins have been paid for, every past, present and future sin. Jesus is so committed to what He did for us that He sits in a place of honor at the right hand of God and defends us as Satan accuses us. He defends the power of His blood that covers our sins and washes us clean. You didn’t earn this, it was freely given out of a deep, eternal love for you. And you can’t be separated from it. Let that sink in. You have been given a gift that is so powerful that it was meant for eternity. And you didn’t have to do anything to receive it. You don’t have to decide if you are worthy of it. God already decided that for you and His answer was YES. And that YES is revealed because He called His only son to die for your sins.
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:39-39
Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. – Hebrews 9:22
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them – Matthew 5:17
Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. – Romans 8:33-34
So, I ask, can you believe that you are loved? If you can receive the love that God has for you, you can start to love yourself, see yourself through His eyes. And then you can love others, see them through the Father’s eyes. It all stems from the source, God. Or will you choose the whispers of Satan, the accuser. He says you are only as good as your list of sins. Satan needs you to stay in a place of self-hatred, never believing you are good enough to be loved. I pray that you will choose the voice of Love and allow God to show you who you are in Him. Receiving His love, loving yourself and loving others…then those whispers from the accuser get harder to hear and believe.
Which Voice Will You Follow? 