How much does God love you?

Many have pondered this question for a long time.  Does God REALLY love me?  We all know the Bible tells us and we know the story of the crucifixion and yet we still wonder.  We all have our own reasons why we question this.  Sometimes it seems like it is just a nice saying or something we wish would happen.  We look at the circumstances of our lives and we wonder how true it really is.  We experience setbacks and we feel alone sometimes.  But we keep telling ourselves that God loves us, or at least we hope He does. 

I have heard many sermons on this topic but somehow it never quite becomes a part of me, or something that I truly believed.  That is until recently.  I was at a church service and the lyrics of the song being sung at the moment went something like this  "Oh I’m running to Your arms, I’m running to Your arms, The riches of Your love, Will always be enough, Nothing compares to Your embrace, Light of the world forever reign."  I just happened to be holding my two month old son who was asleep in my arms.  I looked down and I could tell I loved him, but did he know it?  How does he know it?  Suddenly I saw a picture in my mind of me holding my son. or so I thought, but when I looked down in this picture, it wasn't my boy, it was me relaxed and asleep in those arms.  I suddenly realized that God was allowing me to see myself as He does for a moment, resting in His arms.  As I looked at this picture, I knew how much I loved my son and how much I wanted the best for him and to protect him from harm.  I want the best for him, and I knew that there was going to be times when he might not think that what I am allowing him to go through is actually love.  As I looked at this picture, I was aware that if i loved my son that much and only knew what was happening at the present right where we are, then how much more does God love me who not only knows me as I am now, but knows the future and what I need to experience to make me a better man of God after the current situation is over and in the past.  I was overwhelmed with how much He truly does love me and in the current situation when it seems dark that He is holding me close and is using the present to shape my future for all eternity. 

As the service progressed, I became more aware of how much God loves each of us and that He allows things for a reason and those things are to perfect us.  We will never be perfected until we come to be with Him in His heavenly realm.  So If I love my son as much as I do, and would do anything to make his life better for him and want to protect him, how much more would God do the same for me, His son?  Things may be tough right now, but God knows what is coming against me and is working to correct that and not only make it better for me, but to make it work for His ultimate good for all mankind and so that His purpose is fulfilled more than my own plans and visions for my life.

God does this for every one of us.  None of us are exempt from this love.  He made us and knows us much more deeply and intimately than we know ourselves our own children.  Who knows what terrors would come upon us if He did not love us.  We may experience horrible things in our lives and wonder where He is, but God loves us enough to die for us and even to suffer the consequences of our sin, and unfortunately the sins of others.  But I can truly say that He truly does love us with a deep and everlasting love. 

I challenge to open up your heart and mind to experience that love that can only come from our Heavenly Father, the One who made us.  Even if you don't feel it, he really does love us and is holding us close to Himself.